Navajo Tacos

 :::Scones:::

1 package of quick-acting active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/3 cup warm milk (I used 1%)
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour or whole wheat flour (I used white this time)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon salt


Dissolve yeast in warm milk in electric mixer bowl for about 5 minutes or until yeast is all bubbly.  Stir in 1 cup flour. Beat until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour, sugar, oil, and salt.  Mix on low electric speed until soft dough forms. Put in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until double, about 45 minutes.

Divide into 15 even portions and shape into round discs (kind of like mini pizzas.)  Fry in a deep fryer until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.

1 scone is 4 points+

:::Homemade Chili:::

1 pound extra-lean ground beef (6% fat or less) or ground turkey
1 16 ounce salsa
1 cup white onion, chopped
1 large green, red, or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 28 ounce can diced tomaotes
1 15.5 ounce can pinto beans, drained
1 15.5 ounce can kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon sugar

Cook ground beef and chopped onion in a large saute pan over medium high heat until meat it browned. Combine in a crock pot with remaining ingredients and cook on high heat for 4 hours or on low heat for 8 hours.

Makes 20 1/2 cup servings.  One serving is 3 points+.

To make Navajo Taco place scone on a plate and add chili, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes and whatever other toppings you'd like.

One scone with 1/4 cup Homemade Chili, 1/2 ounce cheddar cheese, 1 cup lettuce and 1/2 cup tomatoes is 7 points+.

:::Emily:::

Pumpkin Pancakes

These are SO good!  My kids love them.

::Ingredients::
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup milk {I used 1%}
6 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg

::Directions::

Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

Whisk together the milk, pumpkin, butter and egg in a separate bowl. Fold this mixture into the dry ingredients.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake and cook approximately 3 minutes per side.

Makes about 12 pancakes.

Each pancake is 2 points+.

*Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.

:::Emily:::

Broccoli Cheese Soup

We had this for dinner tonight, it's the second time I've made it and I made some adjustments this time.  I'm not a huge fan of sharp cheddar cheese, but I used it last time because it's what the recipe called for.  This time I used medium cheddar cheese and I liked it a lot better.

::Ingredients::
1 3/4 cups fat free chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, preferably sharp or extra sharp {I like it better with medium}
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
2 1/2 to 3 cups chopped, lightly steamed or blanched broccoli

::Directions::
Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour, salt and pepper. Cook together, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium heat until soup starts to thicken, about 5-8 minutes. Add warmed chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and stir until completely melted. Stir in seamed broccoli. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately in bowls or bread bowls.

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Serves 4.  Each serving is 11 points+. {If made with 1% milk}

:::Emily:::

Homestyle Stew

We had this for dinner this week and it was SO good.  We all loved it!  It was also really easy, and I like easy. I got it from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

1 can minestrone soup

1 can tomato soup

1 can water

1 pound stew meat {I used round roast and cut it up into pieces and trimmed all the fat off of it.}

1 onion, chopped

3-4 carrots, thickly sliced

3-4 potatoes, cut into chunks {I used red potatoes and kept the skins on.}

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all in a crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours. Serves 4-6.

If divided into 6 servings, each serving is 7 points+. 

:::Emily:::

Olive Garden Style Breadsticks

I love the breadsticks at Olive Garden, so when I found this recipe on Pinterest, I knew that I had to try them. They actually are pretty good.  Not as good as Olive Garden's, but pretty close. 

Dough:
1 1/2 C hot water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
4-5 C flour
1 tablespoon yeast

Topping:
3 Tablespoons butter melted
sea salt {I used kosher salt instead, because it's what I had}
1/4 teaspoons garlic powder



For the dough, pour the water into a stand mixer with the sugar and yeast. Add salt, butter, and 2 cups of flour. Mix the dough on low. Add the rest of the flour a half cup at a time, until dough scrapes the sides of the bowl clean. Mix the dough about 5 minutes on medium speed, until its soft and easy to work with. Roll the dough out into a long log, spray a knife with cooking spray and cut the dough into 16 pieces. Roll those pieces into long snakes. Spray 2 large cookie sheets with cooking spray, and lay the breadsticks out leaving about 2 inches between each one. Place them in the oven with the temperature turned to 170 degrees. Let them rise for about 15 minutes, or until doubled in size. Once risen, brush them with the 1 1/2 T of melted butter and sprinkle them with salt. Return them to the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Once it's preheated to 400 degrees bake them for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. While they are baking combine the rest of the melted butter with 1/4 t garlic powder. When the breadsticks are golden brown, remove them from the oven and brush them with the butter/garlic mixture.

One breadstick is  4 Points+

:::Emily:::

Tender Grilled Pork Chops

4 boneless pork loin chops
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning


Mix olive oil, soy sauce and Montreal Steak Seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and pour into a one-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork chops and set the bag in a baking dish in a way that the pork chops get a healthy dose of the marinade (it may be advantageous to flip the bag over halfway through the marinating time). Marinate in the refrigerator for 3-8 hours (no more than 8). Heat the grill to medium and grill the chops 6-8 minutes per side (depending on how thick they are) until they are no longer pink in the center. Remove the chops from the grill and tent them with foil and allow them to rest for 5-7 minutes. Slice the chops in 1/4 to 3/8 inch slices across the grain and serve.

Colorful Chicken Alfredo

I got this recipe from kevinandamanda.com.  It was pretty good.  Although, I thought it was a little salty, I would add less salt to the alfredo sauce next time.  It also would've been better with some French Bread, but it was Sunday, and I forgot to buy some.

1 lb boneless-skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules
2 cups Rafaellle pasta
1/2 cup reserved chicken broth
4 tbsp butter, divided
1 cup half and half
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 green bell pepper
6 leaves fresh basil, chopped

Add chicken to a large pot and cover with 2 quarts of water and the bouillon granules.  Bring to a boil and then simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until chicken is done.

While chicken is simmering, slice up the bell peppers into thin strips.  (I only used half the bell peppers and put the remaining half in a bag to use later.  You can freeze them up to a year.)

When the chicken is done, remove chicken to plate to cool.  While the chicken is cooling, boil your farfalle according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, get started on the Alfredo sauce. Now for the creamy alfredo sauce… Heat 3 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup of the reserved chicken broth to a sauce pan over medium heat until the butter is melted. Then add 1 cup half and half. After the half and half, add the minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and then slowly whisk in 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Simmer over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally.

While the sauce is simmering, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium high heat. Saute bell peppers for 5-6 mins, stirring occasionally until they’re crisp tender and look a little brown.

While the bell peppers are sauteing, chop up the chicken.  Don't forget to give your sauce and peppers a quick stir every once in a while.  Add the chopped chicken to the bell peppers, sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Turn the heat down to low, then pour the alfredo sauce over the chicken. 

 Let it simmer to combine flavors while you drain the noodles.  Add the sauce to the noodles.  Chiffonade the basil and add on top.

Makes 6 one cup servings.


Each serving is 10 points+.