10.07.2008

Taco Soup

This is delicious. It is super easy and perfect for a chilly night. It isn't low-cal or ww, but it is so filling that you truly only need one bowl.

yield: ~10 bowls or so

crockpot liner (as I said before, I love these)
1lb hamburger: browned
1/2 block (8oz) of velveeta: cubed
1 can of chicken broth
1 env italian dressing seasoning mix
1 cup of pasta (bite-sized): uncooked
1 can whole kernel corn
1 green pepper: chopped
1 jar of salsa (whatever kind you like)

1. line your crockpot with that amazing crockpot liner
2. mix everything except pasta in crockpot
3. cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 6-8 hours (once cheese is melted, you're good to go)
4. add pasta to cook for last 20-30 minutes
5. ENJOY!

We had it with a few crushed doritos as our crackers. Definitely not needed though because this soup is filling enough. Depending on the salsa you choose, it can get a bit spicy, too. I will definitely make this soup again. It was so tasty and we both enjoyed it!

At ten bowls...per serving, this is 5 ww pts.

10.05.2008

Yummy Ribs

These were good for some ribs that aren't necessarily loaded with BBQ sauce but have good flavor and you can add whatever BBQ sauce you need in the end.

yield: ~4 servings

1 rack of ribs from the store (I bought the prepackaged kind)
whatever seasonings you like (I used a montreal steak seasoning and garlic salt)
1 pkg onion soup mix
foil
crockpot liner
bbq sauce of your choice

1. the night before you want to sprinkle your ribs with your seasonings and wrap in foil
2. put the liner in your crockpot (I love these things and use them anytime I use my crockpot)
3. pour two glasses of water and soup mix in and stir
4. add ribs to onion soup mixture in crockpot
5. cook 6-8 hours on low heat

These were pretty tasty and most importantly, INSANELY tender from slow cooking in liquid all day. You could make the liquid a myriad of flavors depending on what you like or what you're hungry for. Enjoy :)

Peanut Butter Brownies

A trusty kraft recipe I found online. Once the heath bars were gone I still had to make dessert for our friends so I found this recipe. I'm normally not much of a "baker" but these were easy enough for me - lol.

yield: 24 bars

cooking spray
1 pkg brownie mix (and the ingredients to make it)
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding (I used the SF/FF one)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
one tub of cool whip: unthawed
3 squares of baker's semi sweet chocolate
1/2 cup of peanuts: coarsely chopped

1. preheat oven per brownie directions
2. spray 9x13 baking dish
3. prepare brownie's per package instructions and bake accordingly
4. once brownies are done they need to cool (I did this in the fridge to speed it up)
5. in a bowl, whisk the milk and pudding until blended
6. add peanut butter and powdered sugar, mix well
7. set aside in the fridge to keep cool until needed
8. once brownies are cool, spread the peanut butter mixture over them and set aside
9. melt cool whip and chocolate together for 30 seconds at a time on high, stir in between
10. once the frosting is melted together, pour/spread on top of brownies
11. sprinkle peanuts on top
12. refridgerate 1 hour before serving

These were a big hit. I also used light cool whip but my frosting stuff was sort of runnier than what it should have been I think so that could have been an issue. It didn't taste any different and with the time in the fridge it set up ok...so if you're looking for a couple small ways to take a few calories out - I'd use the SF/FF pudding and light cool whip.

My picture isn't glamorous, but its the real deal :)



Homemade Heath Bars

This one is in the Cook Family Cookbook that my mom put together for Keri and I. It is definitely a staple in our house for all those good recipes that remind you of home. The other day I decided to make these heath bars...they were suppose to be for our friends on Saturday (I made them on Friday) but they didn't quite make them that far, lol!

yield: lots to share

foil
1 box of club crackers (I only ended up using 2 of the 3 sleeves of crackers, though)
2 sticks of butter (real butter, not margarine)
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of nuts of your choice (or not, I didn't use any)
1/2 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips

1. preheat over to 400-degrees
2. cover two cookie sheets with foil
3. line cookie sheets with club crackers (try not to leave any "open" areas)
4. melt butter in pot, add brown sugar and boil 3 minutes
5. pour butter mixture over crackers, use a spatula to even it out if needed
6. bake for 5 minutes (see my note below for a heads up)
7. once they come out of the oven, sprinkle choc chips over and let it sit for 5 minutes
8. once choc chips are melted, spread them out to coat the crackers
9. sprinkle nuts on top
10. once cooled, break apart and enjoy

I tried to bake both cookie sheets at once and the one on the bottom rack (closer to the coil in the oven) burned. So either take that one out at 3-4 minutes or bake them seperately.

10.01.2008

Cake Balls

I first heard about this recipe on a mommy forum that I go to. Since then I've seen the recipe a few different times on various websites or in various cookbooks. It is delicious and clearly not a weight watcher recipe or low-cal, lol! Again, it can be as versatile as you want it to be...just make it with the flavors you love.

yield: a lot

cooking spray
1 cake mix, flavor of your choice
1 can of diet soda (sprite/7up for a light colored cake or coke/dr. pepper for a dark colored cake)
1 egg (I used egg beater)
1 can of your favorite frosting (one that compliments your cake choice)
1 pkg of almond bark (white or chocolate per your flavors of choice): melted

1. preheat oven per cake directions
2. spray 9x13 cake pan
3. mix your cake mix, diet soda and egg together
4. pour into cake pan and bake as directed on cake mix packaging
5. when cake is done, cool to room temperature (or close)
6. dump cake (all broken up is fine) into a large bowl and stir in frosting
7. freeze or refrigerate for an hour or so - this way it isn't so sticky to work with
8. scoop out a spoonful at a time and roll into a ball and sit on waxed paper
9. dip balls into melted almond bark (you may need to stop and put back in the fridge for a bit)
10. set on cooling rack or waxed paper for chocolate to dry
11. these are rich, delicious and addicting - ENJOY!

I did chocolate cake with the coconut pecan frosting. Another combination I've heard of is vanilla frosting with strawberry cake. You could do a homemade peanut butter frosting with a chocolate cake...again, LOTS of options on this one :) Oooh...or a carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting...yummy!!

9.30.2008

Shrimp Fried Rice

This is a Langfald favorite at our house. And my favorite part is how filling it is! A little goes a long way with this recipe! Originally this recipe was for chicken but we switched it up a bit. Make sure to use a large skillet for this one.

yield: 6 servings

cooking spray
1/2 cup of egg beaters
1/2 cup scallions: chopped
2 garlic cloves: minced
2 cups of your meat of choice: chopped
1 pkg of frozen veggies of your choice (we use an asian medley)
2 pkgs of liptons brown rice already made (the 90 second bags), warm in microwave
3 Tbsp soy sauce

1. spray skillet with cooking spray
2. cook egg beaters, scramble well and then set aside
3. spray skillet again and add scallions and garlic, saute for 2 minutes
4. add meat and cook through
5. add frozen veggies and cook through
6. add rice, soy sauce and eggs and mix well
7. serve and enjoy

This ENTIRE meal is 20 ww points. Per serving, 3.3 ww points.

Cheeseburger Rollups

I have yet to perfect the look of this one, but the taste is worth sharing...

yield: 6 servings

1 lb lean ground beef
6 oz velveeta
2 Tbsp onion powder
8 oz crescent roll dough

1. preheat over to 400-degrees
2. cook meat with onion powder and rinse
3. return meat to skillet and add cheese, stir until melted
4. remove meat mixture from heat
5. unroll dough and press into a rectangle (~ 15x8)
6. top dough evenly with meat mixture
7. rollup starting at one of the long sides and end with seam side down
8. bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown

Again, I haven't perfected the actual rollup part of this recipe, but no matter what it looks like in the end - the taste is worth sharing. Trust me...my first attempt looked like a flattened football.

Per serving, this is 7.2 ww points.

Bubbling Pizza Casserole

Another delicious find amongst all the weight watcher recipes out there. Whenever I try a diet or low-calorie recipe, my test is always whether or not I'd still make it even if I wasn't dieting. Every recipe I've posted so far that is a low-cal or ww recipe falls under that category for sure...but this recipe is one I plan to make for years to come. Each serving is 4 points (~330 calories).

yield: 8 servings

cooking spray
1 lb lead ground beef
1 medium onion: chopped
1 can of sliced mushrooms
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 green pepper: chopped
16oz refrigerator biscuits (8 biscuits per can): quartered - 32 pieces total
1 cup of shredded mozzarella

1. preheat over to 350-degrees
2. spray 9x13 baking dish
3. brown meat, stir in onion and other veggies
4. stir in spaghetti sauce once meat is done and veggies are tender
5. add biscuits, stir until coated in mixture
6. dump mixture into baking dish
7. bake for ~25 minutes
8. spring with cheese and bake additional 10 minutes or until biscuits are done
9. let stand 5 minutes before serving

This dish is delicious. The original recipe has you make your own sauce but it adds more time and ingredients so I cut all of that out with the one jar of spaghetti sauce. Another tip that I got was to buy a second container of biscuits, quarter them, sprinkle garlic salt on them and bake them per the directions on the packaging of the biscuits...you have little biscuit bites to serve with your bubbling pizza that way.

Super Easy Cobbler

This is another ww recipe I've stumbled across in my "9 Months On, 9 Months Off" campaign. I'm not much of a baker so I thought this was a super easy recipe for something that was delicious and not so horrible for you. I really like how versatile recipes like this are, too. And fyi, this is 3 pts per serving.

yield: 12 servings

cooking spray
foil
2 16oz bags of frozen fruit, any kind: do NOT thaw
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 can of diet sprite/7up

1. preheat oven to 350-degrees
2. spray 9x13 baking dish
3. lay fruit on bottom of dish
4. sprinkle dry cake mix on top of fruit
5. pour can of soda on top of mixture
6. cover with foil
7. bake 20 minutes
8. uncover and bake additional 40 minutes

This one is great if you need a quick dessert to take somewhere or if you're just craving a cobbler but don't have the time (or in my case, interest) to make a traditional cobbler. Like I said above, this recipe is more of a staple recipe and very versatile depending on your likes and dislikes.

Peanut Butter Cups

My friend, Sarah, found this recipe when we were on a frantic search for some decent weight watcher recipes. It is so delicious that we almost always have these in our freezer at any given moment now so we can satisfy our sweet tooth when needed. In ww terms, these are 2 points each.

yield: 12 cups

1/2 cup peanut butter, whatever kind you prefer
1 pkg fat-free cool whip
hershey syrup
cupcake wrappers

1. mix peanut butter and cool whip
2. spoon into cupcake wrappers
3. drizzle with hershey syrup
4. freeze overnight before serving, serve frozen

I actually made these with mini muffin wrappers so they were only one point each and more of a bite-sized treat. As they thaw out they do get a bit harder to eat so you want them frozen when you serve them. As a tip, you could use chunky peanut butter. Yum.

Chicken Pot Pie

We first had this when I was on bedrest. Our friend, Tammy, made it for us and we gobbled it up within minutes! I made it again after Bryker was born to make sure I really did enjoy it and it wasn't just me being 9 months pregnant...and sure enough - we gobbled it up within minutes! In weight watcher terms, a serving is 6.5 points.

yield: 4 servings

cooking spray
1 cup reduced fat bisquick
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup egg beater
2 cups frozen mixed veggies: thawed
2 cups chicken: cooked and chopped
2 cans fat-free cream of mushroom soup

1. preheat over to 400-degrees
2. spray 8" square baking dish
3. mix veggies, chicken and soup together
4. pour into baking dish
5. in a seperate bowl, combine bisquick, milk and egg
6. pour mixture over chicken mixture
7. bake for ~30 minutes, until crust is golden

I'd suggest spreading the biscuit mixture fairly thin so it all cooks through. This is such an easy meal and great for a chilly night at home this fall or winter!

Butterfinger Delight

This is a weight watchers dessert we tried. It was pretty good...and supposedly 4 pts a serving. What I liked most about this is that it was only 4 pts good a good-sized portion (i.e. less than 300 calories).

yield: 15 servings

cooking spray
1 prepared angel food cake
1 pkg fat-free sugar-free vailla pudding mix
2 pkgs of fat-free cool whip
4 butterfinger bars (regular size)
1.5 cups skim milk

1. spray a 9X13 pan with your cooking spray
2. tear angel food cake into bite size pieces, set aside
3. mix pudding with milk and mix with cool whip, set aside
4. crush candy bars, set aside
5. layer cake, pudding mixture and candy bars in pan
6. repeat layering until ingredients are gone

Keep refrigerated and enjoy!

Hawaiian Cheese Dip

I haven't made this for a while but I need to. It is one of those recipes where you try it and love it so you make it a lot for a while and then stop and forget about it...and now I need to make it again! This one could be served with the sweet hawaiian bread or tortilla chips. Best when served warm but fine at room temperature, too.

yield: quite a bit...two round loaves of sweet bread or one bag of tortilla chips

1 block of velveeta: cubed
1 can rotel tomatoes
1 can crushed pineapple
1 package of diced ham (I used an 8oz pkg but up to 16oz would be fine)

1. dump all of this into a microwave-safe bowl and start at 5 minutes on high
2. take it out, stir it around and throw it back in for 3-5 minutes at a time
3. repeat until it is all melted

It is a neat flavor that you get from this...kind of like a con queso with a hint of sweetness.

Cheesey Bacon Spinach Dip

I found this in the latest Kraft Foods magazine. I get excited when I find a dip like this that isn't based on mayo or sour cream. So I gave this one a whirl at a food day recently and the reviews were good. I'd make it again for sure. Serve it with tortilla chips. Best if served warm, but okay at room temperature, too.

yield: enough for an entire bag of tortilla chips and then some

1 block of velveeta: cut up into small cubes
1/2 block of cream cheese: softened
1 block of frozen chopped spinach: thawed
1 jar of hormal bacon pieces (find by the bacon bits and salad dressing)
1 can of rotel tomatoes

1. dump all this into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 5 minutes
2. take it out and stir and if it isn't done, try again for another 3-5 minutes

It took quite a few "rounds" in our microwave for this to get done, but once it was done - it was delicious. Definitely worth sharing!

BBQ Chicken Packets

We absolutely love these. The kind of BBQ sauce you choose to make these with will set the tone for the actual packet itself. It is a fairly low cal meal and can be done on the grill or in the oven. And there are a lot of variations you could do from this but so far this is our favorite.

yield: 2 pkts

heavy duty foil (or just double up on regular foil): 4 sheets
cooking spray
2 chicken breasts: thawed, trimmed and lightly seasoned to your liking
1 cup bbq sauce, whatever is your favorite
1 can of whole kernel corn: drained
1 green pepper: chopped

1. spray one side of each sheet of foil
2. center chicken breasts onto two of the four sheets
3. top each chicken breast with half of the corn, green pepper and bbq sauce
4. use remaining two sheets of foil to complete each into a packet
5. grill for ~20 or so minutes






Per packet it is 8.5 ww pts. A great dish to impress your guests with AND it's healthy!

Welcome...

I came to the conclusion that I'm going to start a food blog. At the Langfald house we often try new recipes or put our own spin on a lot of recipes and I find myself sharing the sucesses (or failures) from our dinner table with a lot of you...so here is our food blog.

Make sure to check back for recipe ideas or thoughts on meals that we've tasted and decided it was worth sharing...it'll save you some hassle of a bad meal or perhaps give you some insight on things we should or shouldn't have done to make it better.