Grilled Ranch Chicken

Grilled Ranch Chicken

6 chicken breasts
1 package ranch dressing
4 TB olive oil
2 TB Balsamic Vinegar

Mix oil, vinegar and ranch dressing. Place a chicken breast in each bag, divide marinade over each one. Seal and freeze.

To cook: Thaw before use, chicken will marinade while thawing. Remove chicken breast and grill 5-8 minutes each side.

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings

6 Chicken Breasts

3 T. Butter softened

2 (10.75 oz) cans Con. Cream of Chicken Soup

1 onion diced

3 carrots thinly sliced or diced

3 celery stalks thinly sliced

Mix butter, soup, onions, carrots and celery. Divide between two freezer bags, add three chicken breasts to each bag.

To Cook: Thaw in refrigerator for at least 12 hours before cooking. Place mixture in crock pot, add 3 cups of water.  Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours. Using 2 forks shred up chicken.  About 1 hour before serving add Bisquick dumplings (follow directions on box). Cover. Cook 50 minutes until cooked through.  

Make-Ahead-Freezer Meal Plan for Beginners ... like me.

**FREEZER MEALS **

We've all seen the posts, Pinterest and blogs are full of them - Make-Ahead-Freezer Meal Plans. I have decided it is time to jump on this band wagon and see what happens. I will be enlisting my daughters assistance. She has recently rented her first place and is experiencing meal planning of her own.

This is my plan:

I am planning my method of madness. We are going to get together on Sundays and start small, then build.

This week:

• Chop veggies and fruits that we have left over from the week into baggies for quick use. 
• Sounds easy enough. This will be for quick adds and so they do not go bad.
• Make ahead 3 lunches.
• Mini Ham and Cheese Bagel Sandwiches
• Ham and Cheese Cornbread Muffins
• PB&J Sandwiches - typical prep and placed in baggies (testing this out, not sure how the bread will fair).
• variety of raw veggies and fruits
• Orange slices into half moons and placed in baggies
• Grapes, removed from stems and placed in baggies
• Divide mini carrots into baggies.
• Slice up peppers and place in baggies.
• Make 3 dishes.
• Taco Meat
• Italian Chicken for Grilling - Place chicken breast with House Italian dressing in freezer baggie
• Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole

Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole

Cheesy Hashbrown Potato Casserole

From Six Sisters

Adjusted for freezer recipe

Potatoes:

1 (32 oz) bag frozen shredded hashbrowns

2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of chicken soup (reduced fat is fine)

2 cups sour cream (light is fine)

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup chopped onions

Topping:

2 cups crushed corn flakes

2 Tbsp butter, melted

Put frozen hashbrowns into a greased 9×13 inch baking dish. Combine soup, sour cream, cheese, the 1/2 cup melted butter, and onions. Gently blend into potatoes. Combine crushed corn flakes and the 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle on top. Cover and freeze.

Directions:

Make at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Taco Meat

Freezer Ready Taco Meat
My recipe

5 lbs ground beef (I use low fat)
3 packets of taco seasoning
1 can green chilies
2 medium chopped onion
3/4 c beef broth

Chop onion very small. Brown onion and hamburger together, making sure to cook the meat into small pieces. Add chilies, taco seasoning and beef broth. Simmer. Allow to cool, then divide into freezer baggies. Freeze flat.

Mini Ham & Cheese Bagel Sandwiches

Mini Ham & Cheese Bagel Sandwiches

From 5 dinners in 1 hour

Assemble sandwiches assembly line style.

Pack them in a container with lid.

Baked Ham & Cheese Cornbread Muffins

Baked Ham & Cheese Cornbread Muffins

From 5 Dinners in 1 Hour

2 boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

2/3 C. milk

2 eggs

several slices of deli slice ham or cubed ham

1 C. shredded cheese of choice (I used cheddar/jack mix)

Use an ice cream scoop to scoop into your sprayed muffin tin.

Bake according to muffin directions.

When ready to eat, warm in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Peppers

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Bell Peppers
From Quick & Easy Recipes
Makes 4 servings –  6 net carbs per serving 

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. Thinly Sliced Roast Beef

8 Slices Provolone Cheese

2 Large Green Bell Peppers

1 Medium Sweet Onion

6 oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms

2 Tbs. Butter

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 Tbs. Garlic – Minced

Salt and Pepper – to taste

(2 Tbs. Peace and Love)

DIRECTIONS

Slice peppers in half lengthwise, remove ribs and seeds.

Slice onions and mushrooms.  Saute over medium heat with butter, olive oil, minced garlic and a little salt and pepper.  Saute until onions and mushroom are nice and caramelized.  About 25-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400* 

Slice roast beef into thin strips and add to the onion/mushroom mixture.  Allow to cook 5-10 minutes

Line the inside of each pepper with a slice of provolone cheese. 

Fill each pepper with meat mixture until they are nearly overflowing.

Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is golden brown. 

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Sour Cream Noodle Bake
From the Pioneer Woman
Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Cook Time: 20 Minutes | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 8

Ingredients
1-¼ pound Ground Chuck
1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
½ teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
½ cups Sour Cream
1-¼ cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
½ cups Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese


Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.
To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.
Serve with crusty French bread.

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

Kalyn's Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
From Skinnytaste.comServings: 10 • Serving Size: 1/10th with cheese • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 250.9 • Fat: 11.3 g • Protein: 16.9 g • Carb: 23.8 g • Fiber: 5.5 g • Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 459 mg (without salt)  

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. 95% lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp finely minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp sweet Hungarian Paprika
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 
• 1 1/2 heads green cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes with juice
• 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups cooked brown rice 
• 2 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese (Sargento)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a large glass casserole dish with non-stick spray. (13" x 10")  Brown ground beef in skillet then remove from pan and set aside.  In the same pan, add 1 tsp olive oil, chopped onion and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and paprika and cook about 2 minutes more. Then add the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, and ground beef. Add water to the pan. Simmeruntil it's hot and slightly thickened, about 15-20 minutes.   
Heat remaining olive oil in a large frying pan or dutch oven; add the cabbage andcook over medium-high heat until the cabbage is wilted and about half cooked, turning it over several times so it all wilts and cooks. Season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. When the meat and tomato sauce mixture has cooked and thickened a bit, stir in the 2 cups of cooked rice and gently combine. 

Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray and the layer half the cabbage, half the meat mixture, remaining cabbage, and remaining meat mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake 40 minutes, or until the mixture is just starting to bubble on the edges.  Remove foil and sprinkle on cheese (if using.) Bake uncovered an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to slightly brown. Serve hot.

Freezer friendly if you have leftovers. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then either microwave until hot or heat in the oven in a glass dish covered with foil.

Ground Beef Casserole

Ground Beef Casserole
From Food.com

Servings: 6-8
Points+: 11 (ouch!)

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion , chopped
1 medium green bell pepper , chopped
1 (1 lb) can chopped tomato , undrained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 ounce) package noodles
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
1 Brown ground beef, onion, bell pepper.
2 Drain excess fat if necessary.
3 Add tomatoes, salt, soup.
4 Allow to simmer while cooking noodles according to package directions.
5 Drain noodles.
6 Add cooked noodles and 1/2 of the cheese to meat mixture.
7 Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
8 Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Nutritional Facts for Ground Beef Casserole
Serving Size: 223 g
Calories 422.7
Calories from Fat 168 39%
Total Fat 18.6 g 28%
Saturated Fat 8.2 g 41%
Cholesterol 100.8 mg 33%
Sodium 728.2 mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 36.2 g 12%
Dietary Fiber 2.8 g 11%
Sugars 4.7 g 19%
Protein 27.0 g 54%

Tortellini with Prosciutto and Peas in a Creamy Sauce

Tortellini with Prosciutto and Peas in a Creamy Sauce
From Make It In Minutes WW Cookbook

Ingredients
1/2 pound refrigerated fresh cheese tortelini
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup of diced prosciutto
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup of grated parmesan
1/2 tsp coarsely ground cheese
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook according to package directions. Stir in the peas the last 2 minutes of cooking; drain.

Meanwhile coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and heat over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Remove and reserve the prosciutto. Dissolve the flour in the milk in a small bowl and add to the skillet. Cook stirring constantly until thickened, 8-10 minutes Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and pepper. Add the prosciutto, tortellini and peas to coat.

Makes 4 servings
(yields 8 cups)
6 Points per serving.
358 cal, 0 total fat, 6 g sat fat, 66 mg chol, 1236 mg sodium, 38 mg Carb, 4 g fiber, 25 g protein, 324 mg calcium

South-of-the-Border Pasta and Chicken

From Weight Watchers

10 Points+     Prep time:  15 min Cook time:  10 min  Serves: 2 (large servings)

If you like, use leftover chicken breast or the breast from a rotisserie chicken for this dish; just be sure to remove the skin.

Ingredients 1 1/3 cup(s) uncooked radiatore, or medium shells (4 ounces)    2 Tbsp fresh lime juice    1 1/2 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin    1/2 tsp sugar    1/2 tsp table salt      1 cup(s) (chopped) cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast(s), diced      1/2 medium sweet red pepper(s), seeded and cut into small dice      1/2 medium yellow pepper(s), or green, seeded and cut into small dice      1/2 small uncooked red onion(s), thinly sliced      1/2 medium jalapeño pepper(s), seeded and minced (wear gloves to prevent irritation)    2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, finely chopped    Instructions Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting the salt, if desired. Drain and rinse under cold running water; drain again. Meanwhile, toss together the lime juice, oil, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the chicken, bell peppers, onion, jalapeño pepper, cilantro, and pasta; toss to coat. Yields 2 cups per serving.

Visual Sugar Aid

I found this on pintrest uploaded by a user, so I can't give credit to anyone other than that person. PLEASE if you know the origination of this, please pass it along so I can give credit. 

I found this very interesting. I like quick guides and I find them helpful.

Source

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

from Life as a Lofthouse

Serves 6

Points+: 9

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.  

BUBBLE UP ENCHILADAS

BUBBLE UP ENCHILADASfrom Recipe Diaries

Nutrition  Info: Calories 390 | Fat 11.5g | Carbohydrate 36g | Fiber 2g | Protein 33g
Serves 6

Points Plus: 10

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 can reduced fat refrigerator biscuits
• 1 ¼ cups shredded low fat Mexican Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F

Brown Turkey and drain juices if needed

Pour and mix enchilada and tomato sauce over browned turkey.

Cut refrigerated biscuits into fourths and stir into meat mixture.

Dump into a greased 9X13 casserole pan and bake for 25 minutes.

Take out of oven and sprinkle cheese on top.  Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Let stand for 5 minutes.

Cornbread Casserole

Cornbread Casserole
Posted on WW boards by CrissyBear
Points Plus: 5
Serves 8

1 pound 96% lean ground beef
1 15 oz can corn -- slightly drained
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup skim milk
1 egg
2 large egg white
1/2 cup salsa
8 ounces lowfat cheddar cheese -- shredded
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
4 ounces diced green chiles

Brown meat; drain any fat.
In separate bowl, combine corn (drain off some of the liquid, butnot all), cornmeal, baking soda, salt, oil, milk, eggs, and salsa. Pour half of this mixture in crockpot that has been sprayed with Pam.
Layer cheese, onion, garlic, green chilies, and ground beef on top of cornmeal mixture. Cover with remaining cornmeal mixture. Cover. Cook on high 1 hour and on low 3 1/2-4 hours, or only on low 6 hours.

279 Calories; 11g Fat; 23g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
From WW member Tari Anne

PointsPlus: 7
Serves: 6
Ingredients
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
21 oz Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup, 2 cans
14 oz fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 medium uncooked vidalia onion(s), diced
4 biscuit(s) refrigerated biscuit dough


Instructions
Place chicken in crock pot and top with butter. Add soup, broth, and onions. Cook on high for 4-6 hours. Remove chicken from crock pot and shred with a fork. Return chicken to crock pot. Cut uncooked biscuits into 9 pieces each and stir into chicken mixture. Continue to cook on high for 30 min.

Cheeseburger Pasta

Cheeseburger Pasta

From Point-less Meals

serves 6 ( 6 points +)

• 2 c. uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
• 1 lb. extra lean ground beef ( I used 95% lean)
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1 can ( 14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 3 T. pickle relish
• 3 T. yellow prepared mustard
• 1/4 c. ketchup
• garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
• 1-1/2 c. reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Cook pasta; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, brown beef with onion until beef is no longer pink. Drain.

Return beef to pan. Add pasta and remaining ingredients through spices. Cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover pan and let cheese melt.

What's for Dinner

*~*WELCOME BACK*~*

It's been awhile since I menu planned. But it's back! And I'll be updating recipes with points plus as I go along. Gotta love their eTools. Plus been on the look out for new WW recipes from WW members. Yum!

What's for Dinner?

M- Italian Chicken
T- Crockpot - Roast
W- Chicken Tetrazzini
T- Crockpot - Chili
F- Bruschetta Chicken
S- Baked Potato Soup

I'm proud to post my menus on Org Junkie. Come join us for others like me that menu plan.  There are great recipes and ideas out there!