0041. Crispy Panko-Topped Onions

Weight Watchers Recipe

Ratings (103)

2PointsPlusValue

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 70 min

Other time: 0 min

Serves: 8

These baked onions are like deconstructed onion rings. Roasting the onions enhances their sweetness while herbed-panko breadcrumbs give wonderful crunch.

Ingredients 4 spray(s) cooking spray, divided      4 medium uncooked, onion(s), peeled, cut in half    3/4 tsp table salt, divided    3/4 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground, divided    3/4 cup(s) panko breadcrumbs    2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted    2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped    Instructions Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 9- X 13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray (or just coat a nonstick baking pan with cooking spray). Coat cut-sides of onions with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place onions, cut-side down, on prepared baking pan. Coat with more cooking spray and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bake until onions are light golden and slightly softened, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine panko, butter, thyme, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Remove onions from oven and turn over; sprinkle evenly with crumbs. Bake until onions are tender and crumbs are golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Yields half an onion and about 1 1/2 tablespoons crumbs per serving.

0040. Santa Fe Turkey Stuffed Peppers

I haven't tried this one yet, but my BFF/crit partner Elise Hepner raved about these, so I'm dying to try it!

from: Skinnytaste.com 
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1/2 pepper • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 160 • Fat: 3 g • Carbs: 19 g • Fiber: 4 g • Protein: 15.5 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 119 (without salt)  

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 1/2 lb 99% lean ground turkey
• 3/4 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cups frozen corn
• 1 hot pickled serrano pepper, chopped (or jalepeño) more to taste
• 1 large diced tomato
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp chopped onion
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 1 tsp cumin
• kosher salt to taste

For the peppers:

• 3 red bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/3 cup reduced sodium, fat free chicken broth
• 9 tbsp shredded reduced-fat Sargento Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 tbsp chopped scallions, for garnish

Directions:

In a large skillet brown the turkey and season with salt. When the turkey is browned,add onion, garlic, black beans, cilantro, serrano pepper, diced tomatoes, and cumin.Mix well and simmer on low, covered for 20 minutes. Remove lid, add corn and simmer an additional 5 minutes or until all the liquid reduces.



Preheat oven to 350°. Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and stem.  

Place peppers, cut side up in an oven-proof dish. Fill each pepper with 1/2 cup turkey mixture. Pour about 1/3 cup water or chicken broth on the bottom of the dish. Covertight with foil. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until the peppers become soft.  

Remove foil, top each with 1 1/2 tbsp of cheese and bake uncovered an additional 5 minutes.  Top with scallions and serve with reduced-fat sour cream if desired (optional).

Makes 6 servings.

0039. beef, spinach, & potato experiment

I had ground beef, frozen spinach, and potato in the fridge/pantry/freezer, and had no idea what to do with it all. PK isn't a huge fan of spinach by itself, I'm not a fan of frozen spinach by itself, Monkey hates most potatoes, and I'm so freaking sick of meatloaf that I might scream if I eat another bite of it in the next month. So, what was I supposed to do with all this stuff? Dinner had to be made, and those were the only ingredients I had. I called PK up and asked him what to do (he used to run a kitchen way back in the day before we met, so I defer to him when I'm clueless... or my mommy - I love her cooking). His solution? "Mix them together!"

So, I cubed up the potatoes, chopped some onion, threw in some minced garlic, and put about 2 pounds of ground beef into a giant pot. The ground beef was the 73% fatty kind, so it made a LOT of juice. Add that to all the juice from the frozen spinach, and there was plenty of juice to cook the potatoes.

It looks weird, but it tastes pretty good.

If you know nothing about potatoes, then you know that it takes a LOT of spices to flavor a potato. I'm pretty sure I cubed up like 8 small yellow potatoes... maybe 9? Whatever. It's a lot. I also put an entire bag of frozen spinach in there, so I had to add a lot of spices. I don't know how much I actually put in since I eyeball almost everything I cook, so I'm just going to list the ingredients. If you feel comfortable eyeballing it, have at it.

Ingredients:

• small yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 bag frozen spinach
• about 2 pounds ground beef
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ground sage
• finely chopped dried oregano
• salt
• pepper
• parsley flakes 
• dried red pepper flakes (to add a little heat)

0038. Jamaican Beef Pie

I've made this a few times and it's been a hit every time. PK loves it, Monkey loves it, and I most definitely LOVE IT.

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Yield: 10 patties

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 dash salt
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/3 cup water
  

Meat Filling

• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onions, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Make the crust: Combine flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, and pinch of salt. Cut in 1/4 cup margarine and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Do not overstir; that makes tough crust. Shape dough into a log, and cut into 10 equal sections. Roll each section into a six inch circle (approximately 1/8 inch thick). Set aside.
2. Next, prepare the filling.: Melt margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent. Stir in ground beef. Season with 1 teaspoon curry powder, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook until beef is browned, stirring constantly. Stir in beef broth and bread crumbs. Simmer until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.Directions

3. Now make the patties: Spoon some filling into each pastry circle. Fold over and press edges together, making a half circle. Use a fork to press edges, and brush the top of each patty with beaten egg.
4. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. NOTE: If you have the time and organization, it might be best to make the filling in advance, long enough to cool down before fillng the pastry. Otherwise, it might melt the pastry somewhat. Just a thought from a review on another recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 (1226 g)

Servings Per Recipe: 1

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

Calories 309.1

Calories from Fat 158

51%

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

Total Fat 17.6g

27%

Saturated Fat 5.1g

25%

Cholesterol 49.4mg

16%

Sugars 0.7 g

Sodium 423.8mg

17%

Total Carbohydrate 24.2g

8%

Dietary Fiber 1.3g

5%

Sugars 0.7 g

2%

Protein 12.7g

25%

 http://www.food.com/373127

0037. Chicken Jalfrezi

 I asked Facebook what I should make for dinner, since PK wanted something spicy and my friend Nancy McGregor suggested that I make Chicken Jalfrezi. I googled it and found a recipe on AllRecipes.com (which is my go-to website for new recipes). Even though PK hates chicken, it's been so long since I've made it that I figured it'd be safe to make some - especially if it was spicy. Since this is a "curry" dish (no curry in it, but there's chili -which you can use powdered or fresh) I decided it sounded great. 

Ultimately, PK hated it, and not because it's chicken. I didn't care for it much either although Monkey loved it. I'll go ahead and post the recipe, but the next time I try to make this one, I'm going to have to double the spices since it tasted very tomato-y and kind of bland.

• PREP20 mins
• COOK55 mins
• READY IN1 hr15 mins

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 servings

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in half
• 3 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
  
  

  Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken, and season with turmeric, chili powder and salt. Fry gently, scraping the bottom of the pan frequently and turning the chicken.
  2. Pour in the tomatoes with their juice, cover the pan, and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes. Uncover, and simmer for another 10 minutes to let the excess liquid evaporate.
  3. Add the ghee, cumin, ground coriander, ginger and cilantro, and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes. Serve the chicken pieces with sauce spooned over the top.

0036. Salmon & spinach alfredo

• 1/4 (cup) butter
• 1 (cup) heavy cream
• 1 (cup) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 (pound) smoked salmon, chopped
• 1 (cup) chopped fresh spinach
• 1 (tablespoon) Italian seasoning blend
• 1 (16.0 ounce package) fettuccine noodles

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in cream. Cook on medium high heat to reduce until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Gradually stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted.
2. Crumble salmon into the cream mixture. Stir in the spinach and Italian seasoning. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cook and stir about 3 minutes, until heated through. Serve over fettuccine.

Cook Time:

20 minutes

Prep Time:

15 minutes

Servings:

4

Wait Time:

0 minutes

Ready Time:

35m

0035. Jambalaya

Cook Time:

30 minutes

Prep Time:

5 minutes

Servings:

6

Wait Time:

0 minutes

Ready Time:

35m

Rating:

• 1 (pound) fully cooked kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 (pound) boneless skinless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 (cup) chopped celery
• 1/2 (cup) chopped green pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (tablespoon) butter
• 1 (14.5 ounce can) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (6.0 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/2 (teaspoon) hot pepper sauce (I like Louisiana Hot Sauce, PK prefers Tobasco)
• 1/4 (teaspoon) cayenne pepper
• 1/8 (teaspoon) garlic powder
• 1/8 (teaspoon) white pepper
• 1/8 (teaspoon) ground black pepper
• 1/2 (pound) uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Hot cooked rice

1. In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, saute the sausage, chicken, onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in butter until chicken is browned. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Stir in shrimp; cover and simmer for 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Serve over rice if desired; or cool, cover and freeze for up to 2 months.