Layered BLT Salad

We are always trying to find new salad recipes because when you have lettuce and lots of kids...you have to find something good to do with it! I came across this recipe in one of my Kraft cookbooks and knew immediately that they would love it. I mean, BLT's...in a salad??? You're welcome! 

Layered BLT Salad

Ingredients:

10 cups torn romaine lettuce

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

2 cups croutons

8 slices Oscar Mayer Bacon, cooked, crumbled

1 cup Kraft 2% Milk Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese

1 bottle (8 oz) Kraft Classic Caesar Dressing

Directions: 

Layer lettuce, tomatoes, croutons, bacon and cheese in large bowl. Drizzle with dressing just before serving; toss lightly. 

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Substitute: Prepare using Kraft Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing. 

Prep: 15 min

Makes: 8 servings, 1 1/2 cups each. 

Pepperoni & Cheese Pizzadillas

 For "National Pizza Day" this year (February 9th) we decided to go a whole other route. In year's past, we ordered out or let the kids create their own pizzas. This year, we broke out the Quesadilla maker and OH MY YUM! The recipe below is for those who do not have a Quesadilla Maker and need to go the pan route.  The kids said they could eat these once a week and...no silverware needed!  This recipe was found in Woman's World Magazine. Perfect for the busy mother! 

Ingredients: 

2 cups pizza sauce 

8 (6") flour tortillas (you can also use whole-wheat tortillas)

2 cups fancy shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 cup pepperoni minis

Butter

Warmed marinara sauce

Directions: Spread 1/4 cup pizza sauce over each tortilla. Dividing evenly, top each tortilla with cheese, then oregano and pepperoni. Set iron skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbs butter. When butter is melted, transfer 1 tortilla to skillet, toppings-side up. Cook 30 seconds or until cheese begins to melt. Using spatula, fold one side of tortilla over the other. Cook for a few more seconds; flip it over and continue to cook just until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and transfer to paper-towel-lined plate. Continue to cook the rest, adding more butter as needed. Cut into wedges. Serve immediately with marinara sauce. Makes 16 servings. 

Use for a weeknight dinner or for snacking! 

Final Photo by Me ;) 

Easy Breakfast Strata

I just love a good casserole during the winter months. Breakfast for dinner is a huge fave in our house, or have it at the regular time! A great dish to bring to a brunch! 

Ingredients: 

1 lb bulk pork sausage

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 loaf (1 lb) herb or cheese bakery bread, cubed

1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

6 eggs

2 cups 2% milk

1 tsp ground mustard

Directions: In a large skillet, cook the sausage, pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Place bread in a greased 13"x 9" baking dish. Top with sausage; sprinkle with cheese. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and mustard. Pour over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 30-35 minues or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. 

Final Photo by Me ;)

I just love a good casserole where sausage is the star and this dish did not disappoint! 

Sweet-and-Sour Meatball Skewers

We are in a new year and that means changing things up and getting back on track and eating at the dinner table as a family is right at the top of the list. I like to sit down at least 5 of the 7 days of the week at the dinner table although with kids running everywhere, it can be difficult to get us all there at once, but all we can do is try! 

I was so excited to find this recipe. I just love changing up things that normally serve as something else. You know, what do you do with a meatball? Add sauce of some sort? With the skewer, it adds some fun! The kids were so excited. The dish was pretty and tasty too! Here is what you need: 

Ingredients:

32 frozen fully cooked 1-inch meatballs (1 lb), thawed

1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch squares

1 green pepper, cut into 1 inch squares

1/4 cup apricot jam

1/4 cup Original Barbecue Sauce

Directions:

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Thread meatballs and peppers alternately onto 8 skewers. 

Microwave jam in small microwaveable bowl on HIGH 15 sec. Stir in barbecue sauce; brush half onto kabobs.

The recipe calls for grilling, but we baked in the oven. I will add both ways to cook and you can choose! 

This way: Place on greased pan and cook for 8 minutes on 425F. Brush with last of the jam mix and turn for the final 2 minutes. 

or

This way: Grill 8-10 min. or until meatballs are heated through, turning occasionally and brushing with remaining jame mixture the last 2 minutes. 

The stores were sold out of green pepper so we went with red, orange and yellow. We also served corn on the cob and a side salad. Those were a suggestion on the recipe at what would go best and they did!

Final Photo Taken by Me ;) 

 

This recipe takes 10 min of prep time. Total time is 20 minutes. Makes 4 servings, 2 kabobs each. 

Cucumber Sandwiches III

 

I had a craving for cucumbers one day. Don't ask me why....I am not even a fan of them! We had gotten some loaves of bread on sale and I was digging through recipes to try to find something different to use them for. I came up across a recipe on the allrecipes website and they turned out amazing! Now granted, this would be a perfect spring/summer dish and not at all normal for winter, but hey, after the 2020 we had, is anything really normal anymore? 

Here is the recipe! 

Cucumber Sandwiches III

Prep: 20 mins

Total: 20 mins

Servings: 35

Yield: 35 servings

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 (.7 oz) package dry Italian salad dressing mix

2 loaves French bread, cut into 1 inch slices

2 medium cucumbers, sliced

1 pinch dried dill weed

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream, cheese, mayo and Italian dressing mix. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight. 

Spread the cream cheese blend onto slices of French bread. Top with a cucumber slice, and sprinkle with dill. 

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Per Serving:

Calories: 123

Protein: 3.6g

Carbs: 15.6g

Cholestrol: 8.2mg

Sodium: 296.6mg

Chicken Sliders

 

I am a lover of citrus when it comes to my protein.. I also love when there is a nice amount of cream, different textures...all parts are there. This slider certainly fit the bill! I suggest definitely buying shredded cabbage unless you have the time to do it yourself (every minute is precious, use the bagged) There is a lot of cutting in this recipe otherwise. A combo of citrusy ranch slaw and cumin-rubbed chicken...so yummy! 

Ingredients: 

1-2 limes

1 cup light ranch salad dressing

1/2 tsp pepper

3/4 tsp salt

4 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (8 oz)

1 1/2 cups packaged shredded carrots

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

3 scallions, tinly sliced

1 1/2 lbs. thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 12 (2 1/2" wide) pieces

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

12 slider or dinner rolls, split

1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced

Directions: 

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking. Grate 2 tsp. zest and squeeze 1 Tbs. juice from lines into medium bowl; stir in ranch dressing and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Transfer 1/4 cup dressing mixture to large bowl; stir in 1/4 tsp salt, then cabbage, carrots, cilantro and scallions until coated. Reserve remaining dressing.

In bowl, gently toss chicken with oil, cumin and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Grill chicken, turning once, until no longer pink in centers, 3-4 min. per side. 

Divide reserved cabbage mixture evenly among roll bottoms. Top with chicke, then remaining dressing mixture, jalapeno pepper slices and roll tops. 

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Chi-town--Style Hot Dog

I love that different areas have adopted their own hot dog taste. It definitely dresses up that boring dog and bun pair!  I have found some really cool ones along my recipe hunt. What are your fave toppings? Check this one out. It is Chicago's legendary dog! Loaded with tomatoes, onions, hot pepper and a pickle spear, plus a sprinkling of celery salt--it's no wonder the Windy City loves them! Unfortunately, I could not find poppy seed buns and the best dog that was photo worthy was for the child who wanted his bun untoasted (these kids have a lot to learn!) Enjoyed just as much! 

Ingredients:

6 hot dogs

6 hot dog buns, preferably poppy seed, split

6 pickle spears

1 large tomato, cut into 12 wedges

12 pepperoncini or sport peppers (small pickled hot peppers)

1/4 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup sweet pickle relish

2 Tbs. yellow mustard

1/8 tsp. celery salt

Directions:

Heat grill to medium. Grill hot dogs, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 6-8 min. Grill buns, split sides down, until light toasted, 1-2 min. Place hot dogs in buns. Add pickle spears, tomato wedges, pepperoncini, onions, relish and yellow mustard. Sprinkle each hot dog with a pinch of celery salt. 

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Cherry Pie Cookies

 

Well. Let's just say that I didn't have any trouble getting taste testers for this one! They were lined up at the door when I pulled out the cherries and chocolate! The kids wanted to be right there for every bit of preparation. No egg so they were even able to lick the beaters! I just love their little faces watching the oven when a new cookie is baking. The oohs when we pulled them out and the boos when they realized they had to wait for cooling to drizzle the chocolate. The Mmm's though...that was worth the wait! These were amazing! 

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup margarine, softened

2 cups flour

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 (21 oz) Lucky Leaf Cherry Fruit Filling & Topping

1/2 cup white or milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F.

Mix butter and margaine until fluffy. Add flour, powered sugar and vanilla just until combined and a soft dough is formed. 

Roll the dough into two-inch balls. Place on greased baking sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of cookie to make a well. Places cherries into each cookie. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool. 

Melt chocolate according to package directions. Drizzle over cookies. Let chocolate et and serve immediately or store in an airtight container. 

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Sauteed Pork Chops with Pineapple and Mint

 

My kids LOVE pork chops....because to them it resembles chicken. Why is that? That kids automatically call any lighter colored meat chicken? Weird, but true. Anything that gets them to eat though...am I right? I love changing up dishes, especially when mixing in something sweet, or in this case...citrus! The littles were kind of iffy with the idea of pineapple in their "chicken" as they were hoping it would have been dessert. Happy to say, they loved this recipe! We served it over a bed of broccoli rice. Here it is! 

Ingredients: 

4-6 oz boneless pork chops, trimmed, pounded to 3/4 inch thickness

Salt

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks, diced (due to time restraints, we kept ours chunks)

1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions:

1. Sprinkle chops on both sides with salt. Warm oil in a large skillet oer medium-high heat. Add chops and sear on 1 side until well browned, 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, turn chops and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops reads 140F to 145F, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

2. Add pineapple and 2 Tbsp. water to skillet. Cook, stirring to incorporate browned bits on bottom of skillet, until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Stir in mint and red pepper. Spoon over chops and serve. 

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Serves: 4

Per Serving:

Cal: 341

Fat: 20g

Sat Fat: 6g

Chol: 87mg

Fiber: 1g

Protein: 32g

Carbs: 9g

Sodim: 927mg

Po'Boy-Style Shrimp Burgers with Cajun Spiced Tots

We were due for a fish dish and needed something a little quicker for a busy day. Totally love shrimp so this recipe is just lovely! I will say that it can be pricey (we budget our meals) but very worth it! What are your favorite shrimp dishes? Do you prefer your shrimp with a fork or just all out sandwich? Check out our Po'Boy! 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for the baking sheet

1 lb frozen potato tots or puffs

2 tsp no-salt added Cajun seasoning

1 lb large peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped

1 large egg white

2 scallions, finely chopped

2 Tbsp panko bread crumbs

Black pepper

1 lime, halved

4 challah rolls or buns, split

*Sriracha mayonnaise, lettuce and sliced tomato, for serving

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 425 F. Rub a rimed baking sheet with oil. Scatter the tots on the sheet, then toss with the Cajun seasoning. Bake until golden brown and crisp, turning halfway through cooking, 20-25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse together the shrimp, egg white, scallions, panko and 1/4 tsp black pepper just to combine (there should be some chunks of shrimp).

3. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Shape the shrimp mixture into four 3/4-in. thick patties and cook until golden brown and opaque throughout, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat and squeeze the lime juice all over the burgers.

4. If desired, spread the buns with Sriracha mayonnaise, then top with the lettuce, burgers and tomato. Serve with the Cajun tots.

Serves 4. Per Serving:

Cal: 473

Fat: 17.5 g

Sat Fat: 3 g

Mg Chol: 143

Mg Sod: 1,432

Protein: 24 g

Car: 53 g

Fiber: 4 g

Baked Stuffed French Toast

We are a family of breakfast-for-dinner lovers! Instead of craving savory this time however, we wanted something for our sweet tooth! This new recipe took some time, but was very calming and well worth it! Hmm....raspberry and lemon zest, stuff it into toast..can you think of anything more lovely? 

Check it out! 

Ingredients:

1 loaf French bread

1/2 cup softened cream cheese

1/4 cup strawberry preserves

1/2 tsp grated lemon rind

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk

3 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp melted butter

Strawberries

Directions:

1. Coat a 13 x 9 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Slice bread into 12 pieces. Make a slit in side of each slide, large enough to accommodate filling without tearing bread. 

2. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, preserves and lemon rind until well blended. Spread a little cheese mixture inside slit of each slice of bread. Transfer to baking pan.

3. In a medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt. Pour over bread, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1/2 hour and no longer than 24 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Drizzle melted butter over bread. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a dusting of powered sugar, drizzle of maple syrup and strawberry slices. 

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Banana Muffins

In our family, we love our bananas at so many different stages. My husband and most of the kids love them straight from the market looking nothing, but yellow. A few other kids like them a few days older. I love them freckled. So, what if none of us gets to them even after that stage? Banana bakes it is! This time around is Banana Muffins. My husband absolutely loves the way I make these. Due to the way I stir, they are a biscuit quality when they come out of the oven. The littles love how much banana flows through these baked beauties! 

Ingredients: 1 egg

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/3 c. milk

2 c. flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 c. bananas, mashed (2-3)

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Stir in bananas with milk. Beat eggs. Stir in milk mixture and oil. Stir in remaining ingredients all at once just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake until golden brown (about 20 min). Makes approximately 1 dozen muffins. 

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Southwestern Pasta Casserole

I have been snippin' away at my recipes. I love recipes...you just don't understand. Yes, we have our regular faves, but if I could make a new recipe each day for the rest of my life, I would. I just love finding new tastes that tops the last! I think I definitely found a new fave! Now, I just had my wisdom teeth out so it was tough for me to eat this without cutting it into tiny baby size pieces, but I just did not want to miss out on this new dish! The added sour cream definitely helped! We made 2 separate pans, one with chopped green chiles and one without as we knew some of the younger kiddos would prefer without. 

Here it is! 

Ingredients:

12 oz ziti pasta

1 can (15 oz) chili

1 can (10 oz) mild enchilada sauce

1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, 5 oz

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 1/4-qt baking dish with cooking spray. Cook pasta according to directions; drain. Meanwhile, in large bowl, mix chili, enchilada sauce, chiles, cilantro and 1/2 cup cheese; stir in pasta. Transfer to baking dish; cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes or until hot in center. Remove foil; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with sour cream, cilantro sprig and hot peppers. 

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Servings: 6                                        Trans Fat: 0 g.                                    Sugar: 5 g.

Calories: 431                                     Chol: 25 mg                                       Kitchen time: 20 minutes

Protein: 20 g.                                     Carbs: 52 g                                        Total time: 1 hour, 20 min

Fat: 16 g.                                           Sodium: 815 mg

(8 g. sat.)                                           Fiber: 4 g.

Chicken Quesadillas

Who isn't lovin' them some quesadillas? We have our quesadilla machine that gets broken out every now and then, but last week I came across this awesome recipe in 3, 4, 5 Ingredient Cookbook and was foaming at the mouth! No quesadilla maker needed and my kids loved it!

Who doesn't love to find "something different" when it comes to all things Mexican? It's like the first day of a new $ menu item at Taco Bell...that Woo-Hoo moment! This one has a perfect texture to liquid ratio....just enough crunch with some great ooze... Have a gander at this quick and easy recipe!

Chicken Quesadillas

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 (10 oz) can cheddar cheese soup
2/3 cup chunky salsa
10 flour tortillas

Directions:

Cook chicken in skillet until juices evaporate; stir often. Add soup and salsa and heat thoroughly. Spread about 1/3 cup soup mixture on half tortilla to within 1/2 inch of edge. Moisten edge with water, fold over and seal. Place on 2 baking sheets. Bake at 400F for 5 to 6 minutes.

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Pizza Casserole

OK, so I have yet again found a recipe with the word "Pizza" in it which means what? It is #1 in my kids' book! I am an absolute LOVER of ground beef. I love to smell it while cooking, all full of herbs and then eventually what the end result will be. I am in constant search of recipes with ground beef that are new and different instead of you know, the same ol, same ol. I found this most recent recipe in my "Dump Recipe" Book which is lovely because they are just so simple...toss everything in and go! Keep in mind that if you use a not so lean ground beef, it will shrink down and there won't be as much...we realized after, sadly. We would have loved to have had seconds, but it gave just a piece. Very filling though! You can always serve alongside some sliced bread if you want to add something and not break your budget. This had such a great taste! Enjoy!

Pizza Casserole

Serves: 4-6
Working time: 45 minutes

1 lb ground beef
1 can tomatoes (16 oz, drained)
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese (shredded)
2 Tbsp. dried onions
1 Tbsp. parsley (fresh and chopped)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil

Mixed dried onions, salt, pepper & uncooked ground beef. Press ground beef into 9" pie pan. Spread tomatoes over meat. Sprinkle with basil, oregano & parsley. Top with cheese. Bake at 375F for 50 minutes.

Final Photo Taken by Me ;)

Broccoli Chowder

We are having a few warm days here in PA, but who doesn't want to just relax on a Friday night with some warm soup in the winter? This recipe was so simple that it didn't even take any time! My second son currently has the flu and was so upset that he didn't have the stomach to eat one of his favorite soups, but because of the simplicity, I will just throw it together another day! My 3 year old even loved it! We doubled the recipe to be sure we had enough for the ones whom we figured would enjoy, but may need to triple the next time (I never expected my 3 year old to like it).


It has a creaminess that goes perfectly with a slice of fresh baked bread and so, we made some! Add this one to your winter line up. Not a bread baker? Be sure to grab up a load of crusty bread to serve with it. You will love it!!!

Broccoli Chowder

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
1 (4 oz) pkg. (1 c.) shredded cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

In medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to boil. Add broccoli and onion. Cover and simmer for five minutes. Do not drain. Add the can of soup, milk, cheese and pepper. Cook and stir about 4-5 minutes. Makes 4-5 servings.

Final Photo Taken by Me ;) 

Stuffed Pizza Bites

I like to change things up as much as I can with recipes. My kids love, love (did I say love) pizza. So, what can you do besides ordering out, frozen or even a fresh pizza pie? Changing the whole dynamic of the pizza can do wonders! I came across this recipe in a magazine and knew it would be a good one!

As Seen on TV! David Venable did a recipe on Stuffed Pizza Bites. Now, in a family of our size, who sticks to a budget, we could not possibly go name brand on the prepared pizza dough and they had no generic available. So, we ended up changing our dough. *We bought the frozen dough balls which means there was some thawing involved and then rolled them each out, sliced into 2 down the center and followed the recipe from there (Be sure to spray the pie pans if you use the frozen dough as the result is different). We also substituted the grated Parmesan cheese for the sprinkle in a can (always saving where we can) They LOVED them! Some of the kids wanted them dipped into the marinara sauce and some simply liked them plain. We now have a new winter dish as it is stuffed into a pie pan and comes out like fresh bread...and who doesn't love fresh bread taste in the winter?


Here is the recipe as written in the magazine (my version is simply substituting the frozen dough rolls for the refrigerated prepared pizza dough, see *note above...a good option if you stick to a daily food budget)

David Venable's Stuffed Pizza Bites

2 Cans (13 7/8 oz each) refrigerated prepared pizza dough
8 oz. block mozzarella cheese, cut into 48 cubes
48 slices pepperoni
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups pizza (or marinara) sauce, heated.

Preheat oven to 400F. Coat 3 (9") pie pans with cooking spray. On lightly floured surface, roll out 1 pizza crust and pat into 12" x 8" rectangle. Cut into 24 squares. Place 1 pepperoni slice and 1 cube of cheese on each dough square. Wrap dough around, pressing to seal. Place filled squares into pan, seam side down. Repeat with remaining dough, pepperoni and cheese. Mix together oil, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Drizzle or brush over rolls and top with grated Parmesan. Bake 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with pizza or marinara sauce. Makes 12 servings.

Final Photo Taken by Me ;) 

Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops

With the new year here, you always have that resolution to get everything completely back on track. That includes sitting down more at the dinner table AND....getting those new recipes onto the blog so here we are!

I don't know about you, but I have 1 out of 8 children who are the very pickiest you will ever see. My 11 year old hates side dishes and most vegetables. Seriously, who doesn't like a good mashed potato? We have tried them all; plain, butter, sour cream & chives, 4 cheese, garlic...nada! I really loved this recipe because the gravy that cooks in the pot is an amazing topping for potatoes. We bought garlic potatoes to use for these and wow! This is a quick, 3 ingredient meal for the main dish...just dump it into the crock pot and go!

Crock pot Ranch Pork Chops

Package of pork chops
1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 packet of dry Ranch Dressing Mix

In crock pot, layer pork chops, add the cream of chicken soup, then sprinkle dry Ranch dressing all over. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Brown the pork chops first. The pork chops come out very tender with an amazing taste with a yummy gravy for potatoes!

Final Photo Taken by Me ;) 

Spinach & Artichoke Pasta

I am always trying to find a way to switch up the pasta dishes in our house. Half of my kids are red sauce people, the other half would rather not. Even still, you can only serve Parmesan Pasta so many times before the kids get tired of it. Luckily, most of my kids will eat just about anything so new recipes are always a blessing.

I happened upon this recipe in my Taste of Home magazine and my stomach started grumbling immediately! This is a great dish even for a vegetarian. Everyone loved it (including the kids). If you have a child who is not a spinach eater, simply omit it, but keep those artichokes going...they will never know! Since I am a WW person, I have even figured the points out for you at the bottom. Enjoy!

Spinach & Artichoke Pasta

Ingredients:

8 oz pasta
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup milk
1 pkg. (1.6 oz) garlic & herb sauce mix, such as Knorr
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained
1 pkg. (12 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella-provolone cheese blend, about 2 oz

Directions:

Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and reserve.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400F. Coat a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk and sauce mix until thoroughly blended. With spoon, stir in reserved pasta with artichokes and spinach.

Transfer pasta mixture to baking dish. Coat sheet of foil with cooking spray; cover baking dish with foil, cooking spray side down. Bake 15 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle top of casserole with cheese. Bake, uncovered, until cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Final Photo by Me

Servings: 6
Calories: 348
Protein: 13 g
Fat: 14 g (7 g. sat)
Chol: 39 mg
Carbs: 43 g
Sodium: 691 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 6 g

Kitchen Time: 20 min
Total Time: 45 min

Weight Watchers Smart Points: 12 pts

Menu Plan Monday!! September 18-24

It is Menu Plan Monday! Here is what we will be munching on this week.

Monday: Spinach and Artichoke Pasta and Bread

Tuesday: Tex-Mex Meatloaf, Mexican Corn and Cornbread (New Recipes)

Wednesday: French's Crunchy Onion Chicken, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

Thursday: "Happy 1st Birthday to Heaton" Dinner and Cake

Friday: Apple Walnut Salad

Saturday: Date Night! "Freezer Frenzy" for the kiddos

Sunday: Hubby's Choice 

Be sure to check back for new recipes and final photos!