Superbowl Superbowl Superbowl

Guess what Sunday is!? Well if you live under a rock maybe you are the only one who didn't know.
 How excited are all your Rhode Islanders for the PATS!! woo hoo

Superbowls call for superbowl parties. Want to try to keep "on" your pre-wedding weight loss track but still enjoy yourself, well... indulge in this tried and true recipe--it's always a huge hit! This is a crock pot recipe which I think is great for keeping the dip hot throughout the game, but it can also be done in oven- just leave out the vinegar.

Light Buffalo Chicken Dip

one block reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1 cup fat free sour cream

1/2 cup hot sauce (I love Franks)

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 tsp white vinegar

2 cups shredded chicken

Mix the First 4 ingredients together until smooth, add in the chick and put entire mixture in the crock pot on low for 3-4 hours before serving. Leave in crockpot on warm to serve. Makes appox. 10 servings. Total calories per serving 100.  If you chose to do this in the oven, just combine all ingredients and bake for 20-30 minutes until bubbling.

Easy Recipe: Green Chicken and Rice

So last night, in need of a quick dinner-- and wanting to use up some "almost-bad" cherry tomatoes, I whipped up this Greek chicken dish.

So here is the result:



So here's what you need:

Olive oil

Sea Salt

Pepper

1 Clove garlic

Cherry tomatoes (I used a half pint, though more is preferable)

1/2 of a Red Onion

1/3 of a block of FF Feta (or the real thing if you aren't watching your waist line)

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 lb Chicken Tenders

AND THE SECRET INGREDIENT THAT MAKES IT SO FAB:



yum.yum.yum

So here is what to do:
Cook chicken with 1 tsp olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, pepper and the clove of garlic until just cooked.
Remove Garlic Clove (it will burn if you keep it in)
Add Red Onion
Keep cooking chicken until it browns (my stove is on medium now)

Add 2 tbsp of the Yasou (delish!)
Mix around with the chicken and onion, cook 1 minute

Add tomatoes and add feta, mix
Add another tsp of the Yasou, mix

I covered and let it simmer for about 3 minutes-- this softens the feta and makes the tomatoes so good.

Serve over 1/2 cup Brown rice Per person  :) Viola!

Total Kitchen time: Around 40 minutes, including prep time, chopping,  and rice cooking

Recipe of the Week: A filling soup for you!

I never really went to Venus de Milo at all until a few years ago (I know! What kind of Rhode Islander am I!) but my mom always made the soup...

The other day armed with some ground beef, a huge thing of frozen veggies and needing a recipe-- I decided a good filling soup was the way to go. I was thinking in the back of my mind of some recipe and then it came to me "venus de milo soup!". yum.  It was really good- -and there was so much of it-- that we had it for dinner, and I've had it everyday this week for lunch at work (and I still have some left!).
The total cost of this meal is about $10 bucks so it's worth it (my new thing is making food last on a smaller budget). Plus you can do it all in one pot (make sure its a big one)

I had to google a few recipes, and play with it a bit to get it right and here is what I came up with:

I assure you it doesn't look 1/2 as appetizing as it tasted!

Here's How to Make it:

1 lb Ground beef (I used 97% lean)
1 bag frozen assorted vegetable (use a classic mix like corn, peas, green beans..)
1 large (36 oz) can or box of chicken broth
1 can of beef broth (8 oz) <--- some recipes called for all beef or all chicken- I ended up using a mix because I thought all beef would be too salty and not the right taste but all chix. broth wasn't really what I was "going for"
2 cans diced tomatoes (some recipes called for stewed, its up to you. I liked that I didn't have to "cut up" the tomatoes and could just dump them in, thus saving time)
1 clove garlic
1 yellow onion

Brown the onion, add garlic, brown 1 minute.
Add ground beef and cook until browned

Slowly add beef broth- let this simmer about 5 minutes (clean up your work space, you know I'm big on that)
Add chicken broth
Add frozen veggies
Stir and let simmer about 20-25 minutes

Add in dice tomatoes- one can, then stir, then add the second
Add a dash of salt, a dash of pepper, and a dash or Italian seasoning (quick dash)

Stir it all up.

Let it simmer another 15 minutes or so before serving.

All in all it takes about an hour start to finish and you'll have an obscene amount of left overs :)

Bake it up!

I know I promised a fake it roast recipe this week, and I didn't fulfill that promise. Sorry- it was a super crazy week. I needed to grab a new car and on top of it met some knotties on Monday night for a GTG in Prov.

At any rate, not wanting to disappoint-- I had been searching for a non-typical fun thing to bake for Valentines day.

I think I found it in this recipe. Not only is the ingredient list short- they come out cute, and offer some red for the holiday!! A win win if you will. Ps. these are a recipe from Magnolia's bakery in NY

So here's the recipe:

Strawberry Squares Servings: 24 • Size: 1 2-inch square • Old Points: 3 pts • WW Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 138.2 • Fat: 4.7g • Protein: 2.1 g • Carb: 21.7 g • Fiber: 0.1 g

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup canned strawberry pie filling
• confectioner's sugar for dusting 
• baking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray Baking Pam in a 13 x 9- inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter with the granulated sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla. Add the flour and mix thoroughly.

Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan.  With a small, sharp knife (or toothpick), score into twenty-four 2-inch squares.  Place a teaspoon of pie filling in the center of each scored square.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean. Cool to room temperature, then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar before cutting and serving.

I can't give myself the credit for these- they came from Gina's Skinny Taste blog.
Head over there and check out the pics she took:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/11/strawberry-squares.html

This week's Fake it

So it came to me today, while home on a "snow day". Ya know while I was "working from home"....it came to me when I was bored and decided to cook. That as someone "getting married" guess what, you will more likely than not come home and have to cook for 2.
No more PBnJ's and a bag of Doritos in front of the Bachelor. No more take out on speed dial...its time to start saving (you have big things on the horizon...houses, kids, traveling, etc)...so roll up your sleeves and start cooking! So i have decided to every week feature a "fake it, don't make it" dinner that I have made myself.

Disclaimer: By no means am I an excellent cook. But at some point you realize that you will not be able to eat what your fiance or husband can every night  ( I warn you now you can't... I learned this LATER rather than sooner--so be forewarned before your hips start expanding!)... But we do as a couple, sit down at a table and eat together usually about 5 times a week... and you start to realize that you want the person on the other side of the table to be happy with the meal--- but that doesn't mean having Mac n Cheese or pizza every other day.

For the last year and a half, I have perfected a few "fake it" recipes that are by NO MEANS at all garment- -but they got a good response from TJ and so I figured they'd become my staples... and now I will share them with you.  Believe me, if you have never lifted a wooden spoon before you can do these!! Think of your mom, she's probably a great cook right? But, you know what,...even SHE started somewhere.

So without further rambling.
 Today's Fake it Recipe: Penne Pink Vodka (in ode to my Bridesmaid Mox because it always reminds me of her.xo.)

Here is what you need:
1 Can tomato paste (the small one)
2 small -8oz-cans tomato sauce (I prefer Hunt's or Pastene btw)
2 oz vodka (think a shot glass, or a nip)
1 pint light cream (now here's the thing this will taste infinitely better if you use 1/2 cup HEAVY cream--but in the essence of trying to save some calories on this.. I use the whole pint of light cream-- I've never done the math to see the caloric difference though--so I wouldn't be astonished if there wasn't much of a difference)
Fresh Basil (you can do without, but it makes it feel so fresh an authentic)
Clove of Garlic
half of a small onion (sorry, I don't know, maybe that's 1/3 cup!?)
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
olive oil

Ok, so I don't really have measurements, but I promise you will understand what I mean if you follow along.
Put a drizzle (ok so figure like 2 tsp) of olive oil in your pan...
Add the clove of garlic chopped
Add the onion

Keep pan on medium and saute.

Next, Take the two tomato sauce cans and add them to the mix. Turn stove to low

On low, stir and add in tomato paste.

Let it sit on low for a few minutes (this is when I clean up the onion peels and throw away your tomato sauce cans-- see multitasking...

Now measure out your vodka

Add the vodka. Stir it around for a bit... on low
Now, add the cream little by little. I do a bit of it at a time. Again, not sure how much-- just drizzle it... maybe like 1/4 of the pint at a time... got it?

Ok now.. here's the big thing. Add in a BIG dash of Italian seasoning...Like shake it out of the container 4-5 times.. big shakes

Add one shake of Garlic powder

Add one Basil leave. Cover and let this simmer on low-- you know, throw in the laundry do whatever....
(I'm writing this post while mine simmers)

Test it.. You will know right away if you need more vodka if you can't taste it. Sometimes I add a bit more olive oil and a little bit of vodka-- again like one shake of the bottle....

Then you get this:

I put it over Penne (I prefer smart taste...less calories..)

Add some fresh grated cheese.. a good cheese goes a long way

add a basil leave chopped on top and you have a "fancy" dinner for two-- cheaper and better than eating out and he will think your sooo grand and  a fancy cook :) Promise.

NEXT WEEK's FAKE IT: A Roast (yes like a legit Roast.. and I promise you can do this)

Turkey Tuesday

Well ya, I know that Turkey day is actually Thursday-- but I love love love thanksgiving. I mean ya the food, but its such a nice time of year. I think all the crazy sales the next day are not up my alley- but I love the whole "we're in this together" mentality.  Going shopping at 2 am and everyone running around with arms full of bags. The whole fact that this weekend really kicks of the Christmas season-- which is my favorite season of all! (Check in with me again in February when we are knee deep and snow and see if I still feel that way).

In honor of Turkey Day coming I thought I would share some great articles/recipes. I know, I know, today I'm not super wedding esque-- but not to worry I'll post later on "wedding food"...

This stuffing sounds great. My mother is going to try her hand at it. It's def.  a "lighter" version of my Nana's old Sausage stuffing that included 2 lbs (yup 2) of sausage, hamburger and pepperoni. With about 2 cups of bread.... So in the hopes of swapping out the massive calories we're opting for this:

Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing

I'm also obsessed with Ramkins, but never use them. I eyed my friends that she brought by one time. So I ran out and bought a bunch... Then she went and got these cute little crocks with lids for individual use. So I told her I loved them. She bought em' for me... So now I am literally up to my nose in tiny crocks and ramkins-- and I've never used them. I am thinking of puting them to use Thanksgiving morning and making these:
Asparagus Souffle

I'll let you guys know if it happens or not...