Weight Watchers Challenge: Chicken with Wild Mushroom Cream Sauce

This is not a recipe from a Weight Watchers recipe book, but I have used reduced fat and fat free items and calculated the points per serving.

Ingredients you will need:

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 6 oz mixed mushrooms, sliced (I just use dark mushrooms)
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 1 cup low sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, chopped (I just use the whole jar)
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley (optional - I've never used it)

Directions:
 
Season the chicken with black pepper and coat with the flour.

Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides.

Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until they're tender.

Stir the broth in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Stir in the roasted pepper and sour cream and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with the parsley. Makes 4 servings

Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 11 Points Plus

What we thought:

I made this recipe about a month before Brynlee was born and froze it. When we were ready to eat it, I put it in the oven on about 325 degrees for 20-30 minutes. It was delicious! I served it with egg noodles with butter and no vegetables. I also used full fat sour cream. This time, I made it with reduced fat sour cream and served it with brown rice and green beans -- much healthier. Brian added a bit of salt, but I enjoyed the light and fresh flavor of this meal. I do think it would make a good freezer meal again in the future! 

Weight Watchers Challenge: Bubble Up Enchiladas

I can't get the picture to turn sideways...

Ingredients you will need:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/4 cup onion (optional)
• 1 (10 oz) can of Enchilada Sauce
• 1 (8 oz) can of Tomato Sauce
• 1 can reduced-fat refrigerated biscuits
• 1 1/4 cup reduced fat Mexican blend cheese

Directions:

Brown turkey with onion, if desired. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine turkey meat, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce.

Cut biscuits into fourths.

Add biscuits to meat mixture and mix well.

Pour mixture into greased, 9x13 baking dish.

Bake for 25 minutes then sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Weight Watchers Value: 10 PointsPlus

What we thought:

Brian liked everything about the recipe. He said it was very filling and a nice change from the "normal" enchilada recipe. I, on the other hand, wasn't a fan of the turkey. There was just a slight taste at the end of the bite that I do not care for. I would love to make this again using extra lean ground beef and then I think I will love this! 

Weight Watchers Challenge: Microwave Mug Cake

Two words describe this dessert: QUICK & DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Angel Food Cake mix
• 1 box of your choice cake mix
• Zip Lock Bag
• Water
• Large Mug
• Microwave

Instructions:

Dump both cake mixes into the ziplock bag - I used Strawberry cake mix as my second mix. Shake it around to mix it well. Measure 1/3 cup of the cake mix and put in large mug. Add 3 tablespoons of water and microwave for 1 minute. Top with fat free Cool Whip and fresh cut strawberries.

Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 3 points

What we thought of it:
Quite literally, there is only one word for this: YUM! Oh my word...you must try it!

Weight Watchers Challenge: Low-Fat Poppyseed Chicken

Well folks, I had taken a break from Adventures in CrockPot Cooking because of this:

Follow my adventures in mommy-hood at here.

And 8 weeks later, I decided it was time to get my body back under control, so now I have begun Weight Watchers! My recipe posts will now be Weight Watchers recipes and reviews! Just because they are "Weight Watchers Meals" does not mean they can only be eaten if you are doing the program! I hope many, many people can enjoy these meals!

First up, is Poppyseed Chicken!

The ingredients you will need for this recipe are:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cooked and diced
• 1 (10 oz) can low-fat Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• About 20 Reduced Fat Ritz Crackers
• 1 tablespoon poppyseeds

Easy instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In glass baking dish, combine chicken, soup, sour cream, onion, and poultry seasoning. On top, sprinkle poppyseeds and crushed crackers. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 4 big servings!

Weight Watchers PointsPlus: 6 points

What we thought of it: 

At first, I had only cooked it about 20 minutes and the onions were still crisp and the seasonings hadn't all melded together. I put it back in for another 15-20 minutes and this time it was DELICIOUS! I could barely tell the difference between this "low-fat" recipe and the original recipe! This will definitely go in the recipe book for Weight Watchers meals!

Burp Cloths

I have gotten so pumped up about sprucing up plain old burp cloths! I'm not the best seamstress in the world, but I'd really like to improve. I have several sewing projects I'd like to work on, but I felt that the easiest way to start was with straight-lined projects...thus, the burp cloth projects!

I learned that this thick, minky material is REALLY hard to sew to a thick burp cloth...maybe I'll learn some techniques of how to handle that, because I really like the soft material. Can't you just imagine having your face up against something that soft?? :-)

This fabric came from an old skirt that I've outgrown. I kept it in my craft box because I just loved the fabric. I think this fabric might be good for some other sewing projects, but I think it was way too thin for this burp cloth and it was REALLY hard to cut in a straight line, and therefore fold in a straight line.

I really like this fabric - it is just a plain old cotton fabric. It cut well, folded well, and sewed well. I think I lined it up a little off centered, but I'm pleased overall with my improvement.

I would LOVE some more practice -- if you would like to provide the burp cloth and fabric, I will make one (without embroidery) for free! I have burp cloths that I can provide for $2 and then we can talk about prices for fabric and embroidery :-) Leave a comment, facebook message me, or email me (512smellme@gmail.com) if you're interested in helping me out :-D

Adventures in CrockPot Cooking: Chicken Parmesan

We just keep getting better at these CrockPot meals, folks. This one is sure to be a family & guest pleaser!

Ingredients:

--2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

--1/2 cup bread crumbs

--1/4 cup parmesan cheese

--1/2 t Italian Seasoning

--1/4 t black pepper

--1/4 t kosher salt (I think this could be left out...I felt like the meal was a little too salty)

--1 T olive oil

--1 beaten egg

--sliced mozzarella cheese

--favorite jarred marinara sauce

Directions:

• Spread olive oil in bottom of CrockPot (I went ahead and turned my CrockPot on low at this point). 
• In a small bowl, beat egg. In a separate, shallow dish, mix together bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. 
• Dip each breast into the egg, then into the bread mixture, coating breast well on both sides. Put chicken breasts in bottom of CrockPot and cover with 3-4 slices of mozzarella cheese. 
• Cover with chosen jar of pasta sauce. 

• Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender. If you use frozen chicken, it will take longer. (I don't recommend using frozen chicken for this recipe, because it makes it harder to get the egg and bread mixture to stick.)

• Serve on top of chosen pasta (we used whole wheat penne pasta) and enjoy! 

Our Reactions

Sarah - I thought this was a delicious meal! The chicken was perfectly tender and had a delicious flavor from all the seasoning and being cooked in pasta sauce for several hours. I think I would use more mozzarella slices next time, and maybe pound out the chicken breasts to make them all and even thickness.

Brian - Brian LOVED this meal. He cleaned his plate and, quite literally, licked it clean. I'm not a huge fan of reheated chicken, so this is one time Brian was VERY thankful that he could eat the rest of the leftovers! 

Adventures in CrockPot Cooking: Tamale Pie

I feel like I'm finally starting to find some good CrockPot recipes that both Brian and I enjoy. This is a great recipe to use as a side dish or an entree.

Cornbread topping (in separate, small bowl):

--3/4 cup cornmeal

--1 1/4 cup flour

--1 cup milk

--1/4 cup sugar

--1 egg

--1 t baking powder

The Filling (mix well in CrockPot sprayed with oil):

--1 can drained and rinsed black beans

--1 can fire roasted tomatoes
--1 can drained corn

--1 T chili powder

--1 t cumin

--1/2 t paprika

--1/4 cup diced onion

--1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Pour cornbread mix on top of filling and spread evenly. Do not mix together the cornbread and the filling.

Cook on low for 4 hours or until cornbread is cooked.

Serve & enjoy!

Our Reactions

Sarah - I really loved all the spices and ingredients used for the filling. It had a great flavor. The cornbread was kind of rubbery on the very top, but I just cut that thin layer off and enjoyed the perfectly cooked cornbread underneath. Really, I think this would be a great side dish to a taco salad or something. It was quite filling just by itself, but I'm also 8 months pregnant and don't eat very much at one sitting :-)

Brian - Brian really enjoyed this dish. He, too, felt that the very top of the cornbread was kind of weird, but once he got past that, he enjoyed the dish. 

Adventures in CrockPot Cooking: Cowboy Beans

I haven't been hitting any "homeruns" in the kitchen lately...I don't know if it's me or I'm just not picking the best recipes. Considering Brian will eat almost anything without any complaints, I can never really judge how bad my cooking is. To make things harder, morning sickness in the evenings has decided to return and it is NOT fun! [I'm so excited though, because that means hormones are changing again which I can only assume baby BAL is getting ready to make his/her entrance!!] Read on to see how this recipe for Cowboy Beans ranked in our home :-)

Ingredients
1 pound dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (10-ounce) can Rotel
1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
7 cups water
sliced jalapenos, optional (jarred or fresh)


Directions
You must soak the beans overnight then drain in the morning & sort out the "bad beans" - I tried to take out all the beans that had split, were a darker color, or lost their skin. Pour the beans into the slow cooker.


On the stove, brown ground beef and onion - drain fat, then add on top of beans. Add the rest of the ingredients into the CrockPot (except jalapeños). Stir to mix ingredients, cover and cook on low for about 10 hours. [I learned that you might want to do 6 hours on high, and 4 hours on low to make sure the beans cook properly.] 

Our Reactions

Sarah - This particular day, the smell of the beans cooking either made me really hungry or really nauseous, so I never really ate this as a meal. I had a few bites of Brian's. I accidently added CHOPPED jalapeños for the whole cooking time, so I think it did alter the intended taste a little bit. I felt like it took forever for the beans to tenderize, but the beans did have a great flavor to them! Also, for whatever reason, my taste buds kept thinking taco soup so when I took a bite and got a different flavor, that affected my nausea again :-(

Brian - He gladly ate this for dinner 2 nights and lunch 2 days and then decided we should freeze the rest for after baby comes. GREAT idea!! He usually complains about red or green peppers in foods, but he didn't seem to have any complaints other than the strong jalapeño flavor.

Kelly's Korner "Show Us Your Life: Breakfast Recipes"

Hey [new & old] friends!

I have linked up with Kelly's Korner today to participate in her "Show Us Your Life" series she does every Friday. There are several weeks that I have really wanted to participate and just never got around to it, but I was so excited about today because the topic is breakfast recipes! We have one breakfast recipe that Brian & I both love and eat and eat on it until it is all gone - rest assured, no leftovers go uneaten on this recipe! Click here to see this blog post about our Breakfast Sausage Casserole :-)

Happy Friday!
-Sarah

Adventures in CrockPot Cooking: Cheese Enchilada Stack

Tonight's Adventure in CrockPot Cooking was definitely an adventure...

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Chicken Broth

1 (14.5 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 small onion (finely chopped) 

8-10 corn tortillas (maybe more?)

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (maybe less?)

1 (4 oz) can sliced black olives (drained)

Sour cream to taste

Combine chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, spices, and chopped onion in large bowl & set aside.

Cover bottom of CrockPot with corn tortillas. Sprinkle a handful (really just depends on how much cheese you like) of cheese and a few black olives. Then, put about 3 spoonfuls on top.

Repeat layering until out of ingredients. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until bubbly. Top with dollops of sour cream as desired.

Our Responses


Sarah - I am not a fan. I will probably never choose to cook this again. We did pair it with pinto beans and spanish rice, but I didn't feel like it made the dish much better. It had a good flavor (the spices really made it have a good flavor), but I think used too much cheese and cooked it for too long and it was very mushy. I am a big "texture person" when it comes to food, though, so even though the taste may have been fine, the texture was not what I desired for stacked enchiladas.

Brian - He had 2 servings. Brian does agree that it was a little mushy, but textures don't bother him as bad.

I would recommend that you at least try this recipe and see what you think - it was not terrible, just not one of my favorites! Oh well - for 1 recipe out of 3 so far not being perfect, I'm not complaining! :-)

Happy Crocking!
-Sarah

Adventures in CrockPot Cooking: Artichoke & Chicken Pasta AND (non-CrockPot) Banana Bread

First off, that Tex Mex Roast lasted us FOREVER! Granted, we had family in town this weekend and ate out for most of our meals...but considering it's Thursday and it's the first day I've made a meal this week (because we've been eating leftovers), I consider that lasting FOREVER! 

Today, I made Artichoke & Chicken Pasta. I forgot to take a picture of the ingredients, but they are super easy to find in your local grocery store!

Chicken breasts (as much as you'd like; completely optional)

3 (14.5-ounce) undrained cans Italian Tomatoes (I used diced, but stewed would work great!)

2 (14.5 ounce) cans artichoke hearts in water, drained & lightly chopped (I just bought quartered and did not worry about chopping)

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (to add later)

1 pound freshly cooked pasta (to add later, I used veggie farfalli/bowtie pasta)

Directions

(Sorry about the cruddy picture, when I put this in at lunch, I had left my camera in the car and my phone is all I had.)

Place desired amount of chicken in bottom of CrockPot. Pour all three cans of tomatoes on top. Lightly drain artichokes and chop (if necessary/desired) and toss in on top of tomatoes. Add minced garlic and green olives. Cook on low for 4-5 hours (without chicken) or on low for 6-7 hours (with chicken). 

Right before serving, stir in 1/2 cup of heaving whipping cream.

Stir in hot pasta and top with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Our Reactions

Sarah - The first words out of my mouth were, "WOW! That's like restaurant good!" The rest of the meal continued to be "like restaurant good" -- and healthier than eating at most Italian restaurants, too! I will say, I think the chicken was a little dried out and it probably would've been perfect at about the 5th hour (I only used 2 chicken breasts).

Brian - "Uh-Ma-Zing" (He's at a loss for words...)

Now, after dinner we ate a (non-CrockPot) delicious banana bread! I have tried out several different banana bread recipes over the past 3-4 years and have not found one that was just so good it stuck, but I think I have FINALLY found THE recipe and I'm so excited to share it with you! I did not take any pictures, except of the finished product, so just imagine there are pictures :-)

Ingredients

1/4 cup white sugar & 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for baking pans)

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

3 cups white sugar

3 eggs

6 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 (16 oz) container sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking soda

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease loaf pans (I used 3) then dust with sugar & cinnamon mixture.
2. In a large bowl (like, really big), cream butter & sugar. Mix in eggs, bananas, sour cream, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda, and flour. Divide into prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake for 1 hour (it took mine about 1 hour & 10 minutes) until toothpick comes out clean when stuck in center of loaf.

DELICIOUS!

"Happy Crocking!"

-Sarah

Adventures in CrockPot Cooking: Tex Mex Roast

I am starting a new adventure! This crazy Texas heat mixed with my 7 month pregnant body do not cope well with an oven turned on in the afternoons, so I've decided to stick to [mostly] CrockPot meals for now. I found this AMAZING website (http://crockpot365.blogspot.com) that has the widest variety of CrockPot meals, side dishes, desserts, and crafts I have ever seen! The blogger, Stephanie, even used her CrockPot to give herself a pedicure!! Now, I wouldn't say I'm going that extreme, but some of her ideas are just wonderful!

Last night, I began my CrockPot adventure with Tex Mex Roast. Everyone say it with me, "OOOOO, AHHHHH!"

Brian and I have very different taste buds, so at the end of each of these posts I'll be sure to clue you in on both of our reactions to the recipe! 

First reason I like this recipe: 5 ingredients.

Second reason I like this recipe: dump & go! 

For your ingredients you'll need:

• 2 lbs Boneless Chuck Roast
• 1 can corn w/peppers
• 1 can Chili Beans
• 1 can Rotel
• 1 teaspoon Chipotle Chili Powder

First, put your roast in the bottom of your CrockPot and sprinkle evenly with chipotle chili powder.

Then, dump the rest of the ingredients on top of the roast. DO NOT DRAIN ANY OF THE CANS! If you use a frozen roast (which is super super wonderful to do!), your cooking length may vary, but I set my CrockPot on low for about 7.5-8 hours. You want your beef to fall apart with a fork.

Our Reactions

Sarah - I must say that as it was cooking, I was slightly thrown off by the Chipotle smell. It smelled [to me] like I should be cooking a BBQ dinner, when I knew I was cooking a Tex Mex dinner. I had a rough time at first, but I tasted the corn, tomato & chili, and bean mixture...it was DELICIOUS! Once I added it all together ontop of a bed of homemade Spanish rice, I thoroughly enjoyed this meal! It was a different flavor than any roast I had ever tasted...and I think this was the first time I've eaten a Chuck Roast, so there was a lot more fat than I was used to, but I can't imagine the recipe being cooked any other way!

Brian - He LOVED it. He said it was a little spicy to him (I think that can be attributed to the Chipotle Chili Powder + Rotel), but he got himself an ice cold Coca-Cola and cleaned his plate! He loves beef, so really, this was an easy meal to please him!

As my Mom put it so pleasantly, "Happy Crocking!!"

-Sarah

Overdue Scentsy Contest

**WINNERS**

Unfortunately/fortunately (whichever you'd prefer to look at it), I had NO ONE refer a friend! SO, I have decided to do 2 drawings for my new customers :-) The winners are...

Christin B. - FREE Plug-in warmer from my inventory OR Half-priced plug-in warmer of your choice!

Cindy B. - FREE Scent Circle from my inventory!

Congratulations, ladies!!

I'm trying SO very hard to come up with a fun & creative little give-away to do for Scentsy and this morning my creative juices seem to be all backed up...I hope you find what I've come up with to be fun!

I like to think of this contest as a "Welcome New Customers" AND "Refer a Friend!"

Welcome New Customers
If you have NEVER purchased Scentsy from me, now is a GREAT jump on the bandwagon! With graduations, Father's Day, and weddings galore, Scentsy can be the perfect gift for anyone in your life! All you have to do, first time Scentsy customers, is visit my website (http://sarahlanghoff.scentsy.us) and place any order. You will then be qualified for a drawing for FREE product that will take place on Saturday, May 21 at noon (CST).

Refer a Friend
Have you purchased from me before and love the product? Share with a friend your love for Scentsy and you will receive a free Scent Circle as a thank you gift from me! All you have to do is email me (512smellme@gmail.com) or leave a comment on this post with a list of the people you referred to my Scentsy business and if any of those people place an order with me before Saturday, May 21 at noon (CST), you will receive a free Scent Circle for each order placed! If you refer 5 friends who make a purchase, you will receive a free plug-in warmer from my inventory!

Alrighty, friends -- make sense? Got any questions? Need suggestions? Email me at 512smellme@gmail.com

Have a SCENTSATIONAL Week!
-Sarah

And the winner is...

Holly Bourland

Holly was randomly selected as the winner for March Fabulous Fragrance Friday! For being selected this month, she wins her choice of Scent Circle from my LARGE inventory of fragrances. And, since Holly just got a new car, I think this is the perfect little prize for her! :-)

Easy Parmesan Chicken & Grilled Asparagus

I got this delicious recipe for Parmesan Chicken from my best friend, Diane! She made it when I went to visit last spring and it has been a staple in our house ever since!

Easy Parmesan Chicken

Preheat oven to 350F.
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cupgrated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp dried parsley
8 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless


In a shallow bowl, combine the butter, Worchestershire, and garlic powder.

In another shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and parsley.

Dip each chicken piece into the butter mixture, then into the crumb mixture.

Place the chicken in a single layer in a baking pan.

(I drizzled the remaining butter mixture on top)

Bake for about an hour, or until no longer pink inside. Because my chicken breasts were more like tenders, I baked the chicken on 300 degrees for about 40 minutes, and then 400 degrees for 5 minutes to give a nice crust to the breading.

Grilled Asparagus

First, wash & break of the bottoms of the asparagus.

Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with lemon pepper seasoning.

 Cook on medium/medium-low heat until asparagus become bright green and have slight grill marks. Be sure the flip the asparagus over several time during the cooking process.