Chicken Pasta Bake

Ok, so the meal planning didn't go as well as expected this week. However, we did eat at home pretty much all week, I just made different things. Thursday was Sean's birthday, so he got to pick what he wanted me to make for dinner since it was way too cold to take Sutton out! He wanted something Italian with chicken, so this is what I made. You can definitely lighten it up with lower fat cheeses and use whole wheat or high fiber pasta. I unfortunately didn't have any spinach, so I had to leave that out. It was delicious, but I think it would be even better with the spinach, not to mention the health benefits of adding it! Enjoy!

Chicken Pasta Bake

• 8 oz. penne pasta
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 3 oz. package cream cheese (I used Neufchatel, a lower fat cream cheese)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and patted dry with a paper towel
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (use 2% if wanting to cut some fat)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions for "al dente." Drain. Pour into prepared baking dish.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. While oil is heating, cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
4. Brown chicken in oil. Add Italian seasoning, half of the spaghetti sauce and the drained tomatoes. Let simmer 2-3 minutes.
5. Cut cream cheese into small chunks. Add to chicken and tomato sauce mixture. Simmer until cream cheese is melted.
6. Stir in spinach. Cook another minute, until spinach wilts slightly.
7. Pour chicken mixture over pasta. Top with one cup of the shredded mozzarella. Top with the remaining spaghetti sauce, remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
8. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes, or until bubbly.

Beef and Potato Nacho Casserole

I must admit this was more points than I usually eat for dinner, but had already planned to make it before I ran it through the WW recipe builder. It came out to 10 points per serving, but it was really good. I guess once I get into the swing of earning activity points again, I can have it more often! There's a bit of motivation! :)

SERVINGS: 8

CATEGORY: Main Dish

METHOD: Baked

TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 1-1/4 hours + standing

Ingredients:

* 2 pounds lean ground beef

* 3/4 cup chopped onion, divided

* 1 envelope taco seasoning

* 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

* 3/4 cup water

* 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained

* 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

* 1 package (24 ounces) frozen O'Brien potatoes, thawed

* 1 can (11 ounces) nacho cheese soup, undiluted

* 1/2 cup milk

* 1/4 cup chopped green pepper

* 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

* 1/4 teaspoon sugar

* Paprika

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook beef and 1/2 cup onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the taco seasoning, tomato sauce and water. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute.

Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with the green chilies, beans and potatoes. In large bowl, combine the soup, milk, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and remaining onions; pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika.

Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Yield: 8 servings

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

These were so good! I served them with a nice tossed salad and some homemade oven fries. It is definitely a keeper. 

Ingredients

4 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 (17.5 fluid ounce) bottle hot sauce sauce, divided (such as Frank's)

1/2 (1 ounce) package dry ranch salad dressing mix ( I used a packet of dip mix and it was .56 ounces)

2 tablespoons butter (omit or use light if you like. it did help tone down the spice a bit)

6 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise

Directions

1. Place the frozen chicken breasts into a slow cooker, and pour in 3/4 of the wing sauce and the ranch dressing mix. Cover, and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours.

2. Once the chicken has cooked, add the butter, and shred the meat finely with two forks. Pile the meat onto the hoagie rolls, and splash with the remaining buffalo wing sauce to serve.

Ham & Cheese Hashbrown Casserole

1 28-32 oz. bag frozen shredded hashbrowns

1 can cream of potato soup

1 lb. chopped ham

3 tbls. milk

1 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I have found that swiss is very tasty!)

Paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

3. Combine potatoes, soup, ham and milk and put in pan.

4. Bake for 25 minutes.

5. Top with cheese and paprika to taste.

6. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Baseballs

Here's another great WW friendly recipe that I have been meaning to post. We tried it last week and it was yummy! If you don't like hot sauce, the original recipe leaves it out. Enjoy! :)

BUFFALO CHICKEN BASEBALLS

Serves 4 –

2 cups cooked chicken

3 oz. light cream cheese

2 Tbls. Frank's Red Hot sauce

2 Tbls. Chopped onion

1 stalk celery, diced

2 Tbls. Light margarine – (Or you can used 2 tsps. olive oil instead)

salt and pepper to taste

1 container Light Crescent Rolls

Bread Crumbs

Mix together until smooth the cream cheese, butter, onion, celery, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Add 2 cups cooked chicken and mix. Separate the crescent rolls into four rectangles, pressing the seams together. Put about ½ cup of the mixture in the center of each of the rectangles and fold the corners to the top to seal. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Halloween Recipes

Cheddar and Hard Cider Fondue

From Food Network Kitchens

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (1)

• RECIPE
• COMMENTS & REVIEWS(1)

• Cook Time:

  20 min

• Level:

  Intermediate

• Yield:

  6 servings (3 cups fondue)

Recipe Tools:

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Ingredients

• 1 (12-ounce) bottle hard cider
• 3/4 cup chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 pound Gruyere, grated
• 1/2 pound sharp Vermont or New York yellow cheddar
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon Bourbon, whiskey or apple jack, optional

Fondue Dippers:

• Cooked chicken and apple sausages, chorizo, or mini hot dogs; sliced baguette or black bread, radishes, roasted shallots, roasted mushrooms or small fingerlings or baby potatoes,pears, apples, or pretzels.

Directions

Heat cider, broth, Worcestershire, and garlic in a medium pot over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Toss the cheeses together in a medium bowl. Sift the corn starch over the cheese, and toss to coat lightly.

Using a wooden spoon, sprinkle some cheese mixture into the warm liquid and continue to stir in small amounts of cheese until it is all incorporated and the fondue is smooth and melted, about 15 minutes. Stir in cayenne, salt and Bourbon, if using.

Transfer to a fondue pot or double boiler and serve with desired dippers.

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Cheesy Chicken Cups

These are really good and I'm guessing they are pretty kiddo friendly, too! :)

CHEESY CHICKEN CUPS

Servings | 10 (2 pts. each)
1 cup diced chicken breast ( I shredded mine)
1 7.5oz Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
1 can of healthy request cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup 2% cheddar cheese
non fat cooking spray
Instructions

Preheat oven 400.

Spray muffin tins with cooking spray. Press each biscuit into the bottom and up sides of muffin cups. Combine other ingredients except cheese, spoon mixture into biscuits sprinkle cheese on the top of each one. Bake for 12-15 minutes.