Carrot Cake a la Orange

Most of us have tried the pop/cake mix cake treat. (If not, simply mix any cake mix with 12 oz. of your selected diet soda. Mix according to directions, but add no other ingredients. Points are calculated by the value of the dry mix calories, fat and fiber. Divide cake into 12 pieces.)

Now, today's cake: a Duncan Hines carrot cake mix and 12 oz of diet orange soda pop. Mix until combined, then beat on medium with electric mixer 2 minutes. Pour into 9" x 13" sprayed (with baking spray, or regular spray with a dusting of flour) casserole dish. Bake according to box directions.

While cake is baking, put 4 T diet orange marmalade in small microwave-safe dish. Microwave just until the marmalade liquefies. When the cake is done, drizzle with the marmalade while hot.

12 servings 3.5 points each 16 servings 1.6 points

"Fried" Squash*

This idea was presented at a recent Weight Watcher's meeting. One can have almost traditional "fried" summer veggies: *squash, zucchini, green tomatoes, onions, okra, green peppers, mushrooms, etc.

The method:

Slice all veggies into 1/4" slices. (Recently I used yellow squash with onion.)

Heat a skillet that has been sprayed (or add a little good-for-you oil.) Layer a single layer of veggies, spray veggies lightly, sprinkle with cornmeal. Repeat layers until you have added all your veggies. Then begin to turn the veggies--by the time you have added all the veggies they will have begun to brown.

How to count:

The vegetables are usually 0 points as is the spray. 2 tablespoons of cornmeal is 1 point. (Measure before you sprinkle.) I didn't have cornmeal in my pantry when I first did this so I used some cornmeal mix. The points are the same and it worked. If you used oil, count points appropriately.

Enjoy!

Easy Corn Casserole

Easy Corn Casserole

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12
Categories : vegetable

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
15 ounces creamed corn
15 ounces corn, whole kernel, canned -- drained
1/2 cup egg beaters® 99% egg substitute
1 cup sour cream, light
1/2 large onion -- chopped
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 cup cheddar cheese, lowfat -- shredded
salt
pepper

Mix everything together.

Put into sprayed 9" x 13" pan, uncovered.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving : 130 Calories; 3g Fat 1g Dietary Fiber 3 points

NOTES : Very easy and quick! I will probably try adding a can of chopped green�z�les next time. I did substitute 2 whole eggs for the egg beaters.

Got any of that Crock Pot French Chuck Roast left?

Got any of that Crock Pot French Chuck Roast left?

In case you do, here's one use of the leftovers that is quick, easy and delicious.

For each person you're serving:
3 oz cooked meat (like the roast) 3-5 points
1/4 c chopped onions 0
1/4 c chopped green pepper 0
1 t oil (flavored, if you have it) 1
1 c diced veggies (like peas and carrots) 2
2 oz canned sliced mushrooms 0
1/2 T cornstarch 0
1/2 c roast drippings, defatted


In sprayed skillet, heat oil (if using). Sauté onion and green pepper and any other raw vegetables that you are using. Dice them to an appropriate size according to the amount of cooking each requires. If a veggie requires less cooking time, add it later. Add drained mushrooms and thinly sliced or diced meat and heat through. Sprinkle with cornstarch and stir to combine completely. At this point use seasoning that compliments your meat choice, perhaps Worcestershire sauce, roast drippings, soy sauce, hot sauce (but not all!) and heat to boiling.

Separately, prepare a starch: 3 pierogies* per person (or) 1 c rice or pasta

Serve meat mixture over the starch. All this takes is about 10-15 minutes total.



Fast and delicious!

Crock Pot French Chuck Roast

Crock Pot French Chuck Roast





Ingredients

4 lb. chuck roast most visible fat removed
6 cloves garlic
10 1/2 ounces beef broth ready to eat
10 1/2 ounces French Onion Soup
12 ounces coca-Cola regular




Instructions
Trim excess fat from roast. Make 6 slits in roast, and place a garlic clove into each cut.

Place roast into crock-pot. Add the beef broth, French Onion soup, and Coca-Cola.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Roast can be eaten at this point, but I prefer to remove meat from drippings and cool. When cool, I slice, tear, and otherwise chop meat fairly finely.

Cool drippings separately. When cool, carefully spoon congealed fat on top.

Per Serving: 303 calories 17.5 g fat 0 g fiber 7.5 points

NOTES : Meat can be used for sandwiches; add some of the drippings for "French Dip" sandwiches.

My husband likes it when I take a cup of the drippings and blend it while cool with 1 T cornstarch. Microwave, watching carefully, until thickened. Since this will rise quite a bit while micro waving, it should be cooked in an over large container to prevent boil over. I call this gravy and sometimes use it for open face roast beef sandwiches--old-fashioned style.

Yields: 24 Servings


An adapted recipe by Kimberley Bevins as seen on KOTV Channel 6 in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Saturday's Chili

Recipe By :Linda Pulliam
Serving Size : 16
Categories : meat soup

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound ground beef, lean (80/20)
1 onion -- chopped
1 bell pepper -- chopped
1 package Williams Chili seasoning
15 ounces black beans
15 ounces kidney beans
28 ounces tomatoes, canned -- crushed
28 ounces tomatoes, canned -- chopped

In sprayed Dutch oven, brown onions with ground beef.

Sprinkle with seasoning mix and cook 1 minute.

Add all other ingredients and cook 10 minutes or more over moderate heat.

Description: "A revised "home made" chili"
Yield: about "4 quarts"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving: 283 Calories; 7g Fat; 12g Dietary Fiber

NOTES : 5 points per cup

I choose to use a can of beans instead of 1 lb of ground beef to cut calories and fat and to increase fiber. This trick works in many recipes and keeps good flavor.

BigOven

I just learned about software that could prove useful to any cook and/or Weight Watcher. I read at Lockergnome.com:

Generate grocery lists and meal plans. Swap recipes online. Much more!

Get integrated access to more than 150,000 recipes, find out the nutritional content of your favorite recipes, and manage your shopping list with ease! BigOven recipe software is an easy new way for you to discover great recipes, create grocery lists and meal calendars quickly, organize your collection, and share your favorite recipes with friends and family.

BigOven starts you off with over four thousand recipes organized into six initial recipe boxes, but you're not limited there. Build up your own personalized recipe collection simply by clicking on the recipes you want from the archive!

BigOven recipe software makes cooking easier
Get all your favorite recipes into BigOven easily, and never again struggle with what to make tonight. Get your own favorite recipe rotation into the program, and they'll become instant memory joggers for meal planning. And your grocery lists will never take more than a few seconds to create. You can enter your own family favorites, or search our massive collection to find new recipes you'd like to make: by ingredient, title, cuisine, occasion, course, keywords, who in your household likes what... you name it. Import from any of the popular recipe file formats - MasterCook, Cook'n, MealMaster, and more. Capture and organize any new recipes you find on the Web with a few clicks of the mouse. With BigOven, you always have a ready answer to the question "What should we eat tonight?"

Create shopping lists, meal plans. Once you've chosen the recipes, just drag and drop them onto a shopping list, and get a sorted grocery list instantly (sample). Or drag recipes onto a meal calendar, and plan days, weeks, months... even years in advance. Resize any recipe instantly, and let BigOven do the math. Get calories and carbs for any recipe. Share recipes with others via email. Post new recipes to our archive and get ratings from others. And much more.

Carry recipes and shopping lists with you to the store or kitchen. Optional companions for PalmOS and Windows Mobile let you quickly publish recipes and shopping lists to your PDA! Print out 3x5" or 4x6" recipe cards quickly.

Get your meal-planning routine organized. By planning ahead, you get in control of your food budget, food variety, and nutritional intake. BigOven saves you considerable time and money at the grocery store, by helping you plan ahead.

If you cook, and you have a Windows PC, you should give BigOven for Windows a try. See why 15 straight independent software reviews have awarded BigOven 5/5 stars!

The software is free for use for 30 days for you to try.

Now, my 2 cents:

I have downloaded (and registered) the program. It is relatively easy to navigate; just look around at every menu.

1. It comes preloaded with a selection of WW--type recipes with points calculated.
2. One can add his own recipe and use the nutritional analysis to determine point values.
3. One can "capture" recipes from the web easily directly into the program.

And, for those not interested in downloading software, go to BigOven. Click on the link "Find a Recipe." In the search box, enter any ingredient or "weight watchers." The site will provide you with a list of available recipes already on their site for your use.

download free trial of BigOven software

Pizza Ideas


I often make pizza for my husband and myself that is "legal." I received an email today from the Gore, OK, Weight Watchers meeting. They have some web space on the local Methodist church website and publish some of their favorite recipes. Today's pizza recipe is very similar to what I do so I thought you might want to give it a look.

Their pizza recipe:
http://www.goreumc.org/create_your_own_pizza.htm

Their recipe list:
http://www.goreumc.org/Weight%20Watchers.htm

You may want to subscribe to their list as well; they send a link to a new recipe most weeks.

I would add to their ingredient list:

16 slices turkey pepperoni = 1 point

Check product labels; there is a Deli sliced provolone that is 1 point per slice

You may also want to check out my Mexican pizza recipe:
http://lindaontheweb.com/recipes/030201.html