Taco Pasta

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Ingredients 

• 1 pound ground beef
• 8-12 ounces medium pasta shells  (I used whole wheat—yum!)
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 packet (4 tablespoons) taco seasoning
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground meat and onions over medium-high heat. Add in the diced tomatoes, garlic and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.

TIP: I used the entire taco seasoning packet, and I don’t know that I will next time. It was a bit overpowering, especially with using Ro-Tel (I didn't use Ro-Tel). Consider cutting back on the seasoning packet.

Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and remaining pasta water. Continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Simmer for a few minutes over medium heat to reduce the sauce, if needed.

Find original recipe here: http://www.overworkedsupermom.com/2012/03/supermoms-sunday-recipe-taco-pasta.html

Cook's Note : This was really good. I did make a few changes to it that I think made it better. I did not drain the diced tomatoes, I think if I had it may have been too dry. Also, I did not use Cilantro, not because I don't like it, but because I didn't have any and since it snowed today I was too lazy to go to the store and get it. I did use LF sour cream, LF cream cheese and I added cheddar cheese to the top (quite a bit) because, my thought is, whether it is Mexican or Italian or a mix of the two, IT NEEDS CHEESE!! And I think without the cheese it wouldn't have been as good. Thumbs UP on this one, easy and scrumptious!

Low-Fat Butterfinger Dessert

  Find the Pinterest Pin here: 

http://pinterest.com/pin/378583912395692414/

Recipe:

Servings - 16   Serving size - 1/16th of recipe   Points Plus per serving - 5 Points+

Calories - 177.7,   Total Fat - 1g,   Carb - 37g,   Protein - 3.3g,   Fiber - 0.1g

*Please note that if you follow the link to the original recipe, it says 4points per serving.  This may be the old points.  I put all the nutrition info into the site I use, using exact size of cake ( which is not listed in the original recipe) and I came up with 5 points+ per serving.  

1 (10") prepared angel food cake, cut into 1' cubes

1 ( 1 oz.) package of sugar free, fat free butterscotch pudding mix

1 1/2 cups skim milk

2 ( 8 oz. ) containers of cool whip FREE, thawed

10 fun-sized butterfingers candy bars, crushed ( I used mini food processor)

1.  Spray 9 x 13" pan with cooking spray.  Arrange half the angel food cake cubes in bottom of pan.  

2.  In large bowl, combine the pudding mix with skim milk.  Whisk until starting to thicken.  Fold in both containers of cool whip FREE.  

3.  Pour half the "fluff" mixture over the cubed angel food cake in pan.  Top with half the crushed Butterfinger candies.  Repeat with rest of cake, fluff and candy. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, or overnight.  Enjoy!

Find original recipe here: http://mykitchenadventures1.blogspot.com/2012/02/butterfinger-dessert.html


Cook's Note: This dessert was VERY simple to make. My kids helped me smash the Butterfingers, which was great fun for them, and it took all of 5-10 min to put together. I bought a SF Angel Food Cake, which was a little dry for my taste, but a regular one, which is still LF would taste that much better. Something this good AND WW friendly, you can't go wrong. Thumbs UP!

Crock-pot Taco Chili

* Please note that I am re-arranging the layout of this recipe, because I found it quite confusing to follow as originally written. If you want to make the original recipe, see link below.

Find it on Pinterest

Cook's Note: My husband loved this chili and said I should make it again! I I turned this into a crock-pot recipe for ease of cooking and changed a few things from the original recipe (as always!) That being said - Make it - its a hit!

What You Will Need: 

1  (16-ounce) can tomato sauce 
1   (11 3/4-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (optional)
2  cups water
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1 can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can of pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1  package buttermilk salad dressing mix  (such as Hidden Valley Ranch)
1 small onion, chopped/diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

In the crock-pot, add tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, ranch seasoning packet, taco seasoning packet, water, diced tomatoes and green chilies, onion, chili powder, cumin, ground beef.

Cover and cook on HIGH to simmer for 2 hours, or until beans are tender. I placed this on low for one additional

Original Recipe "Pinspiration" from Paual Deen

Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken Spaghetti

Find it on Pinterest 

Cook's Notes: Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Spaghetti sounded like something the whole family would enjoy. The ingredients are simple and I think most people have them in the house. That said, I prepared this a little differently than the recipe stated, in fact, I didn't use a crock pot. I had purchased a bag of Tyson's Grilled Ready to Eat Chicken, you know, the kind you put in salads? So I prepared the sauce as instructed and added my bag of chicken to the sauce after it was heated. I used all the same ingredients (just a little less chicken), just changed the way it was cooked. 

My Recommendations:

I would make the sauce a little saucier, it was pretty thick and as a result it clumped a little after it was mixed with the pasta.  The recipe calls for 3lb of chicken. That is A LOT of chicken, I think it would be too much, so I used half that and it was perfect. This makes a lot of pasta and we have a good amount of leftovers, and I fed 2 adults and 2 kids (one a tween boy). So keep that in mind.

What You Need:

3 lb. chicken pieces 

 1 (2/3 oz.) pkg. Italian salad dressing mix 

 4 tbsp. melted butter 

 1 small onion

chopped 1 garlic clove, chopped 

 1 (10 1/2 oz.) can cream of chicken soup 

 8 oz. cream cheese 

 1/2 cup chicken broth 

 1 lb. of spaghetti

Directions:

Place chicken pieces in crock pot and sprinkle Italian seasoning over chicken. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp. melted butter. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a saucepan and sauté onion and garlic. Add Cream of Chicken Soup, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Stir until smooth. Add this mixture to crockpot and cook on low for an additional hour. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions.

**I will make this dish again, I think it is an easy and yummy weeknight dinner.**

Original recipe " Pinspiration" from My Daily Moment

HEARTY BEEF STEW-CROCK POT STYLE

Beef Stew is a hearty Winter dish that pretty much everyone likes. And if you are a busy mom (who isn't?) or a working mom with a crock pot, this recipe is a God send. You will need: Beef chunk stew meat (I used 2 lb), a bag of carrots, frozen whole potatoes, and a half of an onion. The veggies can vary, if you want celery you can add that as well. Some store have bags of frozen stew veggies too, to make it a little easier.
Not a lot of pics of this one, since it is just a crock pot deal. But here are the steps:
1. Sprinkle meat with flour (to lightly coat) and some salt and pepper.
2. Place a little bit of oil in a pan and very lightly brown the meat on the outside.
3. Place meat in the bottom of the crock pot.
4. Peel and cut of 4 raw carrots, cut 1/2 of an onion into large slices.
5. Place small whole potatoes in the pot on top of the meat, then carrots, then onions.
6. Take two teaspoons of Beef bouillon or 2 cubes or two small cans of beef stock and poor it over the meat and veggies.
7. Add a cup of water and a McCormick Beef Stew Seasoning packet.
8. Mix and cover with lid.
Allow this to cook for 5 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low. When done the meat will be very tender and the veggies will be Al dente'.
I serve over egg noodles and put Parmesan on top. With some nice crusty bread, this is a perfect Winter meal! Enjoy!

Healthy Low-Fat Pumpkin Muffins

This is a super L/F, healthy and quick version of Pumpkin Muffins. They are 2 points on the Weight Watchers system and they are great for kids who don't eat veggies, because there is an entire can of pumpkin in them! You can add in nuts or choc chips if desired, but keep in mind that that would change your WW points value. Enjoy

First you will need a box of Spice Cake Mix (any brand will do)

Then you need one small can of pure Pumpkin

Mix the Pumpkin and the cake mix together with one cup of water. (DO NOT add other ingredients listed on the cake box) the oil from the pumpkin takes the place of the oil you would use in the cake.

Next, you will spray your muffin tins with non-stick spray or use paper muffin cups. I use a 1/4 measuring cup anytime I make muffins or cupcakes for nice full size muffins. Then, bake according to directions on the box. Keep in mind that ovens vary in temp. I just stick a knife in mine, when it comes out clean, they are done! Super yummy and th kids will love them too!

New Years Morning Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients:

(1/4 ounce) active dry yeast (I use

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup whole milk

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

1 large egg

3 3/4 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

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

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts , optional

4 ounces cream cheese , softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Sprinkle the yeast and a pinch of the sugar over the warm water in a large mixing bowl; let stand until foamy on top,about  5 to 7 minutes.

 In a small bowl, microwave the milk and butter until warm, 40 to 50 seconds (105° to 115°). Add the milk and butter mixture, the remaining sugar, and the egg to the mixing bowl. Add the flour, about 1 cup at a time (adding the last 1/4 cup flour if necessary), and salt and mix (5 minutes if using a dough hook, 10 minutes if kneading by hand) until firm but soft.

 The dough should gently spring back when poked. Do not over knead. Place the dough in a buttered bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts until fluffy. On a lightly floured surface, press or roll the dough into a rectangle, about 17"x14". Spread the filling evenly to all edges, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one of the long edges of the dough.

Roll up the filling-covered dough, starting with the side opposite the edge with the border. When almost finished rolling, slightly dampen the uncovered edge with water; crimp firmly to seal. (Roll will stretch to 22"x3".) Using a serrated knife, cut crosswise into 12 thick slices.

 Line a large jellyroll pan with parchment paper. Transfer the buns to the pan, spacing evenly. Cover lightly with a towel and let stand 30 to 45 minutes, until buns are slightly puffed (not doubled).

After the buns have had a chance to rise again - Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove buns from the oven and allow to cool just 5 minutes, then frost.

Your finished product should look a little something like this:

*** This recipe was tested from a recipe that was posted on Oprah's website, follow this link to see the original! ***

No Bake 7 Layer Mexican Dip

1 can of refried beans (I use Old El Paso Fat Free Refried Beans)
1 Tbsp taco seasoning mix
1 cup light sour cream
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded taco cheese (I use Sargento® Fancy Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican Cheese )
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup Black Beans (drained)
2 Tbsp chopped black olives

Directions:
(I am not giving step by step pictures on this recipe, because it's just so easy to make, be creative and make it your own!)

Mix the refried beans and taco seasoning together well, then spread into your favorite serving dish (ideal to use a 9 inch pie dish).

Layer the remaining ingredients in any order you want on top of the bean mixture. When youare finished, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refridgerate for several hours or until well chilled.

Serve with quality tortilla chips - we prefer Blue Tortilla Chips (such as Garden of Eatin).

Your finished product should like something like this: