Spaghetti with Eggplant, Ricotta and Tomatoes

This was very good and could be served warm or cold!

Weight Watchers friends, you get 1 cup for 7 pts!!

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 lb) ends trimmed, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
Salt
5 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb spaghetti
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups ricotta

Directions:

Lay eggplant on a paper towels and season with salt. Let stand 15 minutes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat gas grill or broiler to high.

Blot eggplant dry with a paper towel. Brush on both sides with a Tbsp oil. Grill or broil, turning once, until brown and softened, 6-8 minutes total. Set aside to cool slightly, then coarsely chop.

Cook spaghetti as package label directs until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Toss spaghetti with eggplant tomatoes, basil, garlic, Parmesan, remaining 2 Tbsp oil and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, adding cooking water as necessary to moisten. Toss with ricotta and serve immediately.

       
                                                              Final Photo taken by Me :)

Frosty Grape Punch

This was a nice drink to serve at our Movie Night :)

Weight Watchers friends, if you use light grape juice and diet ginger ale, this fruity drink is worth only 3 pts for an 8 oz glass!

Ingredients:

1 (2 qt) bottle grape juice, chilled
1/2 gallon raspberry sherbet
2 (2 liter) bottles ginger ale, chilled

Directions:

Pour grape juice in punch bowl and stir in sherbet. Add ginger ale and serve immediately.

                                                           
                                                             Final photo taken by me :)

Party Sandwiches

We had movie night last night and Party Sandwiches were the perfect dinner of choice!

Weight Watchers friends, a heaping tsp is worth only 1 pt!! I eat on white bread worth 1 1/2 pts per each slice so my sandwiches were worth 4 pts each.

Ingredients:

1 cup bacon, cooked, crumbed
1/2 cup ripe olives, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and spread on thin sliced white bread. Cut sandwiches into 3 strips.

Company Cauliflower

This was a nice easy side dish that I made alongside our ham dish last week. Really yummy :)

Weight Watchers friends, if you use FF sour cream and lower fat cheese, this is worth only 2 pts for 1 cup!!

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, divided
1 cup sour cream, divided
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:

Rinse cauliflower and separate into florets. Cook in 2-quart covered saucepan in 1-inch boiling, salted water for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Drain well.

Place half cauliflower in greased casserole dish and spread 1/2 cup sour cream over cauliflower. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese and repeat layers. Bake at 325F for 20 minutes or until cheese melts.

                                                          Final Photo taken by Me :)

Mexico City Dip

My 11 year old son, Genin, made this for "Kids Make Dinner Night". They chose Mexican and this dish was one of the faves made, straight out of my fave...3,4,5 ingredient cookbook.

Weight Watchers friends, 1/4 cup of this dip is worth 0 points if you switch the regular sour cream for fat free!! 11 tortilla chips are worth 4 pts!

Ingredients:

2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups thick and chunky salsa
4 green onions, chopped

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill until ready to serve. Serve with corn chips.

Final Photo taken by Me :)

Beef and Portobello Burgers

I found this recipe in my Fresh, Fabulous, FAST Weight Watchers cookbook. This was one of the 20 minute recipes and might I add, one of the best burgers I have ever tasted!!!

WW friends, 1 burger is worth 8 pts.

Ingredients:

6 oz portobello mushroom caps
12 oz ground lean beef (7% fat or less)
2 tablespoons dried bread crumbs (pref whole wheat, but same points with white)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp canola oil
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil (dried works as well)
1 garlic clove, minced
4 hamburger buns, split (whole wheat preferred, but same points if get white)
4 thick tomato slices
4 green leaf lettuce leaves

Directions:

Place mushrooms in food processor; pulse until minced. Transfer mushrooms to large bowl. Add beef, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and mix well. With damp hands, shape mixture into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) patties.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add patties and cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into side of each burger registers 160F for medium, 5-6 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, stir together mayonnaise, basil and garlic in small bowl.

Place burger in buns and top evenly with tomato slices, lettuce leaves and mayonnaise.

                                                                     
                                                           Final Photo taken by Me :)

Menu Plan Monday! Week of 2/6/12-2/12/12

It is Menu Plan Monday...well, a day late anyway :/  This is what we hope to eat this week :)

Monday: Girl's Night Out!! The rest can fend for themselves :)

Tuesday: Ham and Company Cauliflower

Wednesday: Italian Grilled Steak

Thursday: "Potluck Pantry"

Friday: Party Sandwiches

Saturday: Pizza Night

Sunday: Spaghetti with Eggplant, Ricotta, and Tomatoes