Hasselback Potatoes

Hasselback Potatoes

From Sophistimom

4 large Yukon Gold potatoes

olive oil
melted butter (optional)
kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
4 ounces shredded Weight Watchers

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay a potato on its flattest side in the bowl of a large cooking spoon. Take a sharp knife, and very carefully cut thin slices all along the tops of the potatoes, about two thirds to three quarters of the way down—the edges of the spoon should prevent you from cutting all the way through. Repeat with remaining potatoes.

2. Brush the tops of the potatoes liberally with olive oil and melted butter, trying to work the oil in between the leaves of the potato. Slip slices of garlic in between a few of the slices, and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt. Roast for one hour, or until golden and tender.

3. Just as they come out of the oven, sprinkle with cheese, and place in the oven again for 5 minutes more. Serve with fat free sour cream, green onion or chives, and whatever you can imagine.

Hasselback Potatoes - Potato Fans

From What's Cooking America

8 long baking potatoes
1/4 cup fresh-grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs* 
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon paprika
Coarse salt, to taste
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced

* Learn how to Making Homemade Bread Crumbs.

Preheat oven to 450° degrees F. Oil a large shallow glass baking dish. Peel the potatoes. Place the peeled potatoes on a cutting board and cut a narrow 1/4-inch slice from the bottom of each potato; discard the slice (this helps the potato lie flat and not roll). Place two long handled wooden chopsticks on each side of the potato lengthwise. Use a sharp knife and slice each potato crosswise, making 1/4-inch apart slices, cutting down vertically. The chopsticks will prevent the knife from cutting entirely through the potato. You need to leave 1/4-inch of the bottom of the potato intact. As you finish cutting each potato, drop them into cold water to prevent discoloring. Gently flex the potato fans open while rinsing under cold running water. This rids the potatoes of excess starch that can impede fanning. Dry potatoes well before baking.

NOTE: Potatoes may be prepared in advanced to the above point. Place potatoes in cold water (to prevent discoloring) until ready to bake. To bake, dry potatoes well.
Place the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, paprika, and salt in a food processor; process until blended. Brush prepared potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and pat the bread crumb mixture on top of each potato. Place potatoes in the oiled baking dish; cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. To serve, sprinkle parsley over the tops of the baked potatoes.

Makes 8 servings.

Print this recipe

Make-Your-Own-Spice Recipes

Make-Your-Own-Spice Recipes

Homemade Taco Seasoning
From Home Sweet Farm

1 tbls. Chili powder
1/4 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes and dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp each freshly ground pepper and salt

In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Store in an airtight container.


Print this recipe

Queso Dip

Queso Blanco
From FoodieBride

1 Tbsp cooking oil (veggie, olive, canola – whatever you have)
1/4 cup white onion, diced
1 large jalapeno or serrano, seeds and stem removed; diced
12 oz white American cheese (I have the deli give me 3 slices on 10), shredded
4 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded (optional; don’t use pre-shredded)
1/4-2/3 cup cream, half-and-half, or whole milk
1 roma tomato, seeds removed and diced
1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Cook the onion and pepper until softened and reduce heat to medium-low. Add the shredded cheese and 1/4 cup of the cream. Stir until mostly melted. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, and additional cream a little at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Serve with chips.

Yields ~2 cups

Print this recipe

Chicken and Cheese Taquitos

Chicken and Cheese Taquitos
From BakedBree
1 bar cream cheese
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
4 green onions, sliced (greens and whites)
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese or a mix of Mexican cheeses
1 large package flour tortillas

In a large bowl, mash together the cream cheese, enchilada sauce, lime juice, spices, garlic, and green onions. Mix it together.  Season with salt and pepper. Add the cheese, cilantro, and shredded chicken. Warm up your tortillas so that they are more pliable.  Put a few Tablespoons of the filling in the tortilla and roll up. Line a baking sheet with tin foil, spray it with cooking spray.  Place the taquitos seam side down.  Spray the top with cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the tortillas are brown and crispy.
Print this recipe

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken and Noodles

From The Gaines Gang

1 large chicken (5lbs +)
Cavendars’ Seasoning
1 large bag Reame Noodles
1-2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2-3 cans chicken broth


In a large pot place your chicken and cover with water and cavendars’ seasoning. Cook on med-high heat for about 1 ½ hours or until chicken is falling off the bone.
Remove chicken and allow to cool, reserving your chicken stalk. Add cream of chicken soup, noodles and chicken broth. The amount of soup and broth you add depends on how many noodles you add. Debone chicken and add back to pot. Simmer for about 20 minutes until noodles are cooked. Freezes well.




Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup
From That's my story...

1 box reduced fat chicken broth

1 pkg baby carrots chopped

1 C chopped chicken

1 1/2 C chopped celery

noodles 

Place all items in a crockpot and let it cook during the day.

Print this recipe

A 15 minute wait that kills cravings

I came across this article in a health flyer. I hope you enjoy it.


A 15 minute wait that kills cravings

If you eat when you're anxious, depressed, or stressed, you may be using food for comfort, not nutrition. So what can you do to stop stuffing down your feelings with food?

• Wait 15 minutes. Most cravings not associated with real hunger pass quickly.
• Use a food diary to keep track of what you eat, when you eat, and how you're feeling, especially if you overeat or binge on snack foods and sweets.
• Drink a glass of water. You may be thirsty, not hungry.
• Turn to something else that soothes you. Call a friend, walk the dog, listen to music, work on a hobby.
• Consistently eat healthy meals and snacks.  Avoid going more than four hours without eating to keep your blood sugar from dropping so low that you feel out of control.

Sources: The American Dietetic Association; the Best Life Diet, by Bob Greene, Simon & Schuster

Meatloaf Cupcake

Melissa's meatloaf cupcake 
From Livvy Loo Who

Ingredients
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 packet of dried onion soup mix
1 egg
1/4 c ketchup
1/2 c breadcrumbs
2 T worcestershire
2 t season all

Preheat oven to 350. Combine meat mixture with hands, do not overmix (makes your end result a bit chewy).  Place meat mixture into greased muffin pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. 
Frosting and sprinkles: mashed potatoes and peas!




Print this recipe

Happy New Year!!

Did you make a new years resolution that included eating healthier? I think we all do this to ourselves every year.  So let's take this journey together. I know I always loose the majority of my weight loss goal in these first few months.  Who's with me? I'm tired of flickering out by the middle of the year.  Can I hear an AMEN?  Let's make some healthy changes.