Cheesy Chicken and Rice

I really should look into a photography class. I just point and shoot and hope for the best. As you can see this is an ooey gooey cheesy ricey yummy dinner that really didn't pose well for the camera. This meal was great just the way it was but I thought it would have been fabulous with the addition of bacon or for a Mexican flair some cilantro and salsa. You really could add what you wanted to this and it would taste great. I found this recipe on Cassie Craves. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite sites. I have a few other recipes to share that I snagged from her. I'm sure I will snag several more. The best part is you cook this in your crock pot. Easy week night meal.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice
adapted from Cassie Craves

6, 1 cup servings, 9 WW points per serving

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2 to 3 boneless chicken breasts
2 to 3 tablespoons light butter
1 medium onion, diced
1, 10.5 oz can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
1 cup fat free sour cream
2/3 cup Weight Watchers shredded Mexican cheese or reduced fat shredded cheese
1, 15 0z can whole kernel corn, drained
1, 8 oz box Zatarain's Yellow Rice Mix, cooked according to the package directions

Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top each breast with a tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle with onion. In a bowl mix together the cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. A few minutes before serving stir in cooked rice, corn, and cheese. Stir to combine. Serve hot.

Baked Blueberry and Peach Oatmeal

I think I was fated to make this oatmeal. I first saw it on Emily Bites and thought it looked fantastic. Then I saw it a few days later in Taste of Homes December 2011/January 2012 Healthy Cooking Magazine. Fated. I'm not a huge fan of oatmeal but I really like it baked. This recipe was really good. The peaches and blueberries gave it a great flavor and the pecans gave it a nice crunch. I enjoyed the warm oatmeal with milk on top but it was moist without. I bet these would be good baked into muffin cups. Breakfast to go.

Emily lightened up the recipe a little more by swapping the oil for unsweetened apple sauce. The recipe calls to use a 7X11 pan. I don't own one so I used a 9X13. I bet it would be thicker in a 7X11 pan but I made due with what I had. Instead of doing 9 servings I did 6.


Baked Blueberry and Peach Oatmeal
from Emily Bites

9 servings, 6 WW points per serving
6 servings, 9 WW points per serving

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3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 egg
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can (15 oz) sliced peaches in water, drained and chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees

Combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites, egg, applesauce, milk and vanilla. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and stir until blended together. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes and then add the blueberries and peaches.

Spray a 7X11 or a 9X13 pan with cooking spray and pour in the oatmeal mixture. Spread evenly and sprinkle with pecans. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Chicken Souvlaki Pitas

I love stuff that goes in a pita. I love souvlaki. The only thing that would have made this better would have been some feta. Reduced fat of course. I got this recipe from Dinner for a Year and Beyond's blog. She has great recipes. This is super simple and super good.

Chicken Souvlaki Pitas
from Dinners for a Year and Beyond

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4 servings, 9 WW points per servings

1 (6 ounce) container plain Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup shredded cucumber
1/4 cup lemon juice, divided
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 pitas
sliced tomatoes
sliced red onion
reduced fat feta

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and garlic salt. Set aside.

In a large resealable bag, combine the remaining lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and seal bag. Make sure the marinade covers all the chicken. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to overnight.

She grilled the chicken but I baked it in the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 35o degrees. Place in a baking dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. To serve, heat the pitas for about 30 seconds in the microwave. Cut the chicken up and distribute evenly between the four pitas. Top with tomato, onion, feta, and cucumber sauce.

Rio Rancho Egg Bowl

When I asked Will if he wanted waffles, pancakes, or eggs for breakfast this morning he said eggs. I made cheesy eggs and added extra stuff to mine. I left his just cheesy. He's not as adventurous as me. I had left over Rio Rancho meat and knew it would taste fantastic with eggs, cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream. I was right. It was fantastic. You could make this with any left over taco meat.






Rio Rancho Egg Bowl

1 serving, 9 WW points

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2 whole eggs
3 egg whites
1/3 cup reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese
1/2 cup Rio Rancho taco meat or any taco meat
tomato, diced (optional)
reduced fat sour cream (optional)

In a bowl whisk together the 2 whole eggs and the 3 egg whites. In a skillet scramble the eggs over medium heat until soft but set. Add cheese and taco meat and heat through. Serve with tomato and sour cream if desired. You can cut down on points by using just egg whites or Egg Beaters.

Open Face Italian Sloppy Joes

I was inspired to make this from a Rachel Ray recipe. I found a recipe called Meatball Melties in her March 2010 magazine. It's basically a meatball hamburger with fire roasted tomatoes and cheese on a ciabatta roll. Instead of making hamburgers I made sloppy joes and added my own twists. I thought it was really tasty. Hubby said it was good, so that is his form of approval.

This only took about 15 minutes to make. Easy meal for a weeknight. Or easy meal for a lazy weekend. I'm definitely having one of those this weekend.

Open Face Italian Sloppy Joes
6 servings, 9 WW points per joe

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1 lb lean ground turkey
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1 can fire roasted tomatoes with garlic
1 small can mushrooms, drained
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of pepper
Dash of oregano
6 frozen garlic ciabatta rolls with cheese
6 slices of low fat provolone cheese

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees

In a skillet brown the turkey. Add the spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, and mushrooms. I didn't measure the spices I just added a dash of garlic, pepper, and oregano. Let the mixture get hot and bubbly. In the meantime bake the ciabatta rolls for 7 minutes. Split the mixture evenly over the rolls and top with a slice of provolone cheese. Place back in the oven and let the cheese melt, about 5 minutes.

I have found low fat garlic bread at Key Market or I think it's now named Central Market that would reduce some of the points. My hubby says the low fat bread tastes like cardboard but I think it tastes fine. Next time I make these I will use the low fat bread for myself and the ciabatta bread for hubby. Save me some points.