Foodie Friday ~ Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

Looking for a meatless recipe for the Lent season..........this is a great Weight Watchers meal with a point value of 6. Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni

3/4 cup fat-free milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (5 ounces) cubed light processed cheese (such as Velveeta Light)

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. While pasta cooks, combine milk, flour, and salt in a large saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly with whisk. Add Cheese; stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta; toss well to coat. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup).

Enjoy:)

Foodie Friday is presented by
"Designs by Gollum"
Visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)

Foodie Friday ~ Just like Julia!

I was so excited to find this recipe in the January/February 2010 Weight Watchers magazine.

So if you haven't........get inspired!

First, you have to have a glass of RED wine. It just kind of goes with the recipe:)

Then how about a nice healthy salad.

Yes, you guessed it........Boeuf Bourguignon!

The original: 17 points value

Weight Watchers remake: 8 points value

Boeuf Bourguignon

2 lbs bottom round roast, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (14 1/2-oz) can low-sodium beef broth

1 cup red wine

1 (16-oz) package frozen pearl onions (I couldn't find the frozen ones so I used the ones in a jar)

1 (10-oz) package cremini mushrooms (Didn't have mushrooms and I made this Tuesday when we had all the snow so I used parsnips)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound carrots, thickly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Toss beef ad flour in medium bowl until evenly coated. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef, in batches if necessary, and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl with slotted spoon.

Add broth, wine, onions, mushroom (parsnips), tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper, bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot. *Stir in carrots. Cover and simmer until beef and vegetables are fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with parsley. *Instead of cooking on the stove, I place pearl onions, carrots, parsnips on the bottom of my crock pot and then added the cooked meat and topped it with the cooked wine juice from the pan. I cooked it on low for 6 hours.

Still have room for dessert.......how about sliced bananas with chocolate sauce and whipped cream, with just a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Bon Appetit!

~ Happy Valentine's Day ~

Foodie Friday is presented by

"Designs by Gollum"

Visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)

My blog has been restored ~

I had trouble on Friday when I was posting for Foodie Friday. I kept loosing my site. Didn't think much of it. Over the weekend I received an email from Rhonda at Shellbelle's Tiki Hut to let me know I had a problem with my blog. She said she opened my blog and it automatically redirected her to a porn DVD site. Oh my gosh.

Didn't know what to do....................I went to the blogger help site and was reading through every ones problem. Someone had something similar happen and she said to DELETE all the widget, (you know all the cute stuff), so I did and it seems to be working fine:)

I hated the thought of loosing everything. My blog is almost one year old.

Just wanted everyone to know..............beware of the widgets.

Foodie Friday ~ Grilled Brisket with Tangy Mop Sauce and Peanut Butter Cupcakes

A few weekends back I was watching Sandra Lee on Sandra's money Saving Meals

and discovered this wonderful recipe. Hope you try it soon. I served the Brisket with potatoes and fresh pineapple.

Ingredients:
1 (3-pound) beef brisket, point cut
3 tablespoons spice rub (paprika, onion powder, sugar)
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (12-ounce) can beer

Tangy Mop Sauce:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/4 cup water
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Coat the brisket on all sides with the spice rub. In a roasting pan add the onion, garlic and beer. Arrange the brisket in the roasting pan, loosely cover with foil and put it in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Combine all the mop ingredients in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and let cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
Remove the brisket from the oven and put it on the grill. Add the liquid from the roasting pan to the mop sauce. Brush the brisket generously with the mop sauce and grill until the brisket develops a nice crust about 5 minutes per side. Make sure to brush the brisket about every 2 minutes with the mop sauce.
Transfer the brisket from the grill to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Cut the meat, against the grain, into 1/4-inch thick slices. Top with a bit of the tangy mop sauce and arrange on a serving platter.

Looking for a quick dessert..........
Make the cupcake recipe as per the box. Put into cupcake papers and before putting in the oven add 1 teaspoon creamy peanut butter to each. Bake.
For the frosting.....add 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter to the frosting mix.

Foodie Friday is presented by
"Designs by Gollum"
Visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)

Foodie Friday ~ Christmas Brittle

I call it Christmas Brittle.....but you can make this anytime of the year. Very simple to make! I made it last weekend and come Monday it was gone.

Christmas Brittle

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 package (12 oz.) milk chocolate chips
saltine crackers
colored sprinkles or chopped nuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°. Line cookie sheet with foil and grease with butter. Place
single layer saltines (crackers) on buttered foil.
Cook together 1-cup butter, 1-cup sugar for approximately 3 minutes.
Pour over saltines, spread evenly. Place in hot oven for 5 minutes. Immediately
after taking from oven pour on top 12 oz. Milk chocolate chips and spread with
back of spoon until chocolate melts. Sprinkle with colored sprinkles and
refrigerate for 2 hours. Peel off foil and break into small pieces.

Foodie Friday is presented by

"Designs by Gollum"

Visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)

Foodie Friday ~ Custard Pie

Custard Pie

Pie Crust:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1/3 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup oil (corn or canola)

Mix in the pie plate, form ball, then pat into pie plate and flute edges.

Note: or you can use a Pillsbury ready made crust.

Custard:

2 cups milk, scalded

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

4 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

nutmeg or cinnamon

Mix eggs, sugar and salt together. Add scalded milk with butter to mixture. Place into uncooked pie shell. Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.

(Can make coconut custard by adding 1/3 cup coconut over custard after placed in shell and baked the same as above).

mmmmmm.......Enjoy:)

Foodie Friday is presented by
"Designs by Gollum"
Visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)

Foodie Friday ~ Cheddar Cheese Bread with Chicken Soup and Potato Dumplings

Unfortunately, I neglected to write down who's blog I copied this recipe from. If you view this and it is your recipe, let me know........the recipe is fabulous. So easy to make.Cheddar Cheese Bread Recipe:

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

4 ounces of cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 1/4 cups milk

3/4 cup sour cream

3 tablespoon butter melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9x5 loaf pan with oil. In a bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Carefully stir in cheese cubes until cheese is well coated. In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients. Fold the milk mixture into the flour/cheese mixture. Stir just until combined, do not over stir. The mixture will be thick. Pour/spread into greased loaf pan. (I put fresh ground pepper on top before putting it into the oven) Bake for 45-50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes and then remove from pan. Let cool on hour before slicing and serving.

The Potato Dumplings are from "Savoring Time in the Kitchen". So simple to make. It was a great addition to my chicken soup.

Potato Dumplings Recipe:
1-1/2 cups riced or mashed cooked potatoes (2 medium)
1-1/2 tablespoons softened butter
1 egg, beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
1/4-1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon dried parsley
3/4 cup flour, more or less (depending on how soft or hard you like your dumplings - less flour for a softer dumpling)

Blend the first five ingredients and then incorporate flour. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Take about 2 tablespoons of dumpling mixture in your hands and roll into an elongated shape about the size of a small thumb and drop into the boiling water. Repeat until all the dumplings are made. Reduce heat and simmer dumplings for about 20-25 minutes and then scoop out and add to the finished chicken soup.


My Chicken Soup Recipe:
1 pound boneless, skin removed chicken breast.
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 stalks celery sliced, include celery leaves
3-4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
salt
pepper
1 bay leaf
4 chicken bouillon cubes
2 cups chicken stock
4-6 cups water
Cut chicken into small pieces. Saute onion in olive oil and add chicken. Add celery and carrots, along with the seasonings. Add chicken stock bouillon cubes and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 hours.

It was such a snowy week here in Chicago. The schools closed today so Nikos got to go sledding with his friends. I had the day off......so I decided to try some recipes. Now I am ready for the couch and a good movie:)

Foodie Friday is presented by
"Designs by Gollum"
Visit her site for more fabulous recipes:)