Oven Fried Catfish

With three avid fishermen (fisherpersons?) in the house we are never short on fish. Here's a fun, healthy way to "fry" up some catfish.

Oven-Fried Catfish

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
4 6 oz catfish, tilapia, or haddock fillets, thawed in frozen
2 tablespoons oil

Combine dry ingredients; coat fish on both sides with cornmeal mixture. Spread oil over baking sheet; place fish on baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between pieces. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Serves 4.

NOTE: This recipe will cover A LOT more than four fillets.

Stuffed Shells

 

Another meatless dish where you don't miss the meat.

Stuffed Shells

12 oz package jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to directions on package
15 oz container ricotta cheese OR 16 oz container of low fat cottage cheese
8 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
10 oz package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
28 oz jar of spaghetti sauce

In a large bowl, stir together ricotta, 1/2 package of mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, spinach and seasonings. Spoon into cooked pasta shells. Place stuffed shells opening down into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Pour sauce over shells. Bake in a 350 preheated oven for 40 minutes. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on shells and continue baking for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serves 6.

Price Break Down:

These prices are from Walmart on 6/2/2014 in Ohio.

Shells = $1.58
Spinach = $1.58, used half of the package= $.76
Mozzarella = $2.64
Cottage Cheese = $1.98
Spaghetti Sauce = $1.00
Parmesan = $.27
Egg = $.13

TOTAL = $8.36

Navajo Tacos, super cheap and delicious!

You won't miss the meat in this yummy Tex-Mex dish. Keep a can of refried beans (usually priced around $.99) in yiur cabinet to make this recipe when the groceries are low and pay day isn't for a few days.

Fry Bread
2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
Oil for frying

Heat oil to 350 in a large skillet. In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add mik and stir to form a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface ans knead a feq time. Dough should still be soft, but easir to work with.

Divide dough into 6 parts. Flatten on part into a circle (about 4 or 5 inches) and place in hot oil. Fry for about 1 minute or until bottom is golden and then flip the bread to brown the other side. When other side is brown, carefully remove from oil (I like to use tongs) and place on paper towels to drain. Repeat with other dough pieces.

Toppings:
1 can of refried beans, heated
Shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
Taco sauce or salsa
Tomatoes, chopped
Lettuce, chopped

Top your fry bread as desired and enjoy!

Smothered Chicken

This recipe passed the hubby test. You know a recipe is a hit when your hubby goes back for seconds!

 Smothered Chicken

6 chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds
Chicken seasoning or your favorite seasoning (I used Emeril's Chicken Rub.)
Salt to taste
6 slices of provolone cheese
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tbs butter or margarine

Place chicken in a baking dish. Sprinkle with chicken rub and salt. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until juices run clear. In the meant7me, melt butter in a sk7llet. Add mushrooms and saute until tender. Salt slightly. When chicken is done, top each breast with a slice of provolone. Return to oven for a few minutes until cheese is melted. Top each breast with sauteed mushrooms and serve. Serves 6.

Nutritional information

1/8 chicken breast, CALORIES 301, FAT 18 g, CARBS 1 g, FIBER 0 g, PROTEIN 33 g, Weight Watchers Points plus: 8 points

Chicken Queso Soup with Roasted Corn and Jalapeno

 

I found this recipe by pinch of Yum on Pinterest and tweaked it a little bit. (Click here for original recipe.) It is SOOO good. I've tried a lot of tortilla and taco soups in my day, but this has to be the best so far. It's a perfect recipe to put in the crock pot Sunday morning and have it for lunch after church.

Chicken Queso Soup with Roasted Corn and Jalapeno

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups salsa, divided
1½ cups water
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon salt

1 green peppers, chopped
1 14 ounce can corn, rinsed and drained
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (without ribs and seeds)
1 14 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces light cream cheese
6 ounces Pepper Jack cheese
cilantro for topping

tortilla chips

Place the chicken breasts, 1½ cups salsa, water, cumin, chili powder and salt in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. When the chicken is done, shred the meat directly in the crockpot using two forks.

Pat the minced peppers dry with a paper towel. Place the bell peppers in a large nonstick skillet over high heat without oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes WITHOUT stirring. This creates the browned, roasted look out on the outside of the peppers. Stir once and repeat until the peppers are nice and browned.
Set aside. Repeat this process with the corn and jalapeño together.

After the chicken has been shredded, add the roasted peppers, roasted corn and jalapeño, black beans, remaining salsa, and cream cheese to the crockpot. Stir and replace cover, allowing the cream cheese to melt. Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding another ½ cup of water if needed. Let the soup simmer for another 15-30 minutes until everything is smooth and melted. Just before serving, stir in the Pepper Jack cheese. Serves 8

Nutritional information

1/8 of recipe (calculated without chips), CALORIES 264, FAT 7 g, CARBS 24 g, FIBER 5 g, PROTEIN 30 g, Weight Watchers Points plus: 7 points

Italian Sausage Lasagna with Zucchini

 

I love zucchini, and it fits perfectly in this delicious lasagna. With plenty of cheese and sauce, you'll think you're cheating, but one only 310 calories or 8 Weight Watcher points!

Italian Sausage Lasagna with Zucchini

19 oz turkey Italian Sausage
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg
15 ounces ricotta cheese (I prefer low fat cottage cheese)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded 2% mozzarella cheese, divided

In a large skillet, cook sausage and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, sugar, basil, oregano and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. In another large skillet, cook the zucchini in butter until tender. In a bowl, combine the egg, ricotta cheese and 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese; set aside.

Spread 1-1/2 cups meat sauce in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Layer with three noodles, half of the zucchini, half of the ricotta mixture, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 2 cups meat sauce. 
Layer with remaining noodles, zucchini and ricotta mixture. Top with 2 cups meat sauce.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with remaining meat sauce or save for another use. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutritional information

1 slice, CALORIES 310, FAT 14 g, CARBS 22 g, FIBER 4 g, PROTEIN 26 g, Weight Watchers Points plus: 8 points

Lighter Smoky Bacon Tomato Pasta

Lighter Smoky Bacon Tomato Pasta

1/2 pound turkey bacon, chopped
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
salt and pepper,
dash each garlic powder and oregano
4 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, cut into pieces
12-14 oz whole wheat pasta, cooked according to package instructions

In a large skillet, cook bacon until browned. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano. Cook until heated through, then add cream cheese. Cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Stir in pasta and serve. Serves 8.

Nutritional information

1/8 recipe, CALORIES 286, FAT 10 g, CARBS 38 g, PROTEIN 14 g, FIBER 8g, Weight Watchers Points Plus 8 points

Bacon Mushroom Lentils

Can u tell I was craving bacon when I made this weeks menu? This is the second dish featuring bacon this week. I have used turkey bacon which is 65% less fat than regular bacon and 1/2 of the cost. Plus, I like turkey bacon. :)

Bacon Mushroom Lentils

1 1/4 cups dry lentils

4 cups water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

half a 12 oz package turkey bacon, chopped and browned

2 tbs butter

8 oz fresh mushroom, quartered (don't be tempted to substitute canned. It's worth the extra $1 or so)

1 slice onion, chopped 

Salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkling of dried parsley

Add lentils, water, and bouillon cubes to a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender about 30 minutes. Drain. In a large skillet melt butter. Add onions and mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are tender. Stir in bacon and lentils. Cook until heated through. Season with salt, pepper and parsley. Serves 6.

Nutritional information

1/6 recipe, CALORIES 216, FAT 9 g, CARBS 21 g, PROTEIN 13 g, FIBER 8g, weight watchers points plus 8 points

Guacamole Bacon Tomato Grilled Cheese

This sandwich is so good words can't describe. It's my idea of the perfect sandwich.

Guacamole Bacon Tomato Grilled Cheese

3 strips of turkey bacon, cooked
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese (reduced fat if you can find it)
2 TBS guacamole (mash avocado with garlic powder, salt and pepper)
1 slice of tomato
2 slices of French bread
2 teaspoons margarine

Butter one side of each slices of bread. Place one slice, buttered side down, in a hot skillet. Sprinkle half of the cheese on bread. Then layer on guacamole, bacon and tomato. Top with remain cheese and add other bread slice, buttered side up. Flip the sandwich when bottom is browned. Cook another minute or so until the other side is browned. Enjoy!

Nutritional information

1 sandwich, CALORIES 391, FAT 16 g, CARBS 39 g, PROTEIN 19 g

Pepperoni Pizza Quesdillas

Combine the Picky Kid Quad's favorite foods, pizza and quesadillas, and you've got a winning dish.

Pizza Quesadillas

5 whole wheat tortillas
2 cups shredded mozzarella made with 2% milk
1 package turkey pepperonis
28 oz spaghetti sauce
2 tbs oil

Heat oil in a frying pan. Place one tortilla in the pan. Sprinkle tortilla with a thin layer on mozzarella. Cover half of the tortilla with a layer of pepperonis. After the tortilla is browned and the cheese has started to melt, about 2 minutes, fold tortilla in half. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to remove excess oil. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients.  Divide spaghetti sauce in 5 small bowls. Heat each for 30 secs - 1 min. In the microwave. Cut quesadillas into 4 wedges. Serve sauce with quesadillas for dipping.

Makes 5 quesdillas.

Nutritional information

1 quesadilla with sauce, CALORIES 332, FAT 17.1 g, CARBS 32.6 g, FIBER 5.7 g, PROTEIN 18.3 g, Weight Watchers Points plus: 9 points

Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

This dish was inspired by a recipe on Skinnytaste.com. I tweaked a few things to adjust it more to my family's taste.  It was so good! I'm glad there were leftovers!

Italian Sausage Pasta Bake

1 pound turkey Italian Sausage, removed from casings
12 oz whole wheat penne, cooked according to package directions
16 oz low fat cottage cheese
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
28 oz spaghetti sauce

Brown sausage in a skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce and set aside. In a medium bowl stir cottage cheese, half of mozzarella and Parmesan together.

In a 13 x 9 in. pan layer half of the pasta, half meat mixture and the cheese mixture. Then add layers of the remaining pasta and meat mixture. Top with other half of mozzarella. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Serves 10.

Nutritional Facts: 

1/10 of recipe, 349 calories, 14 g fat, 12 g carbohydrate,  g fiber, 37 g protein. Weight Watchers Points Plus 8

Oven Fried Chicken Nuggets

These are a favorite of the Picky Kids Quad. 

Oven Fried Chicken Nuggets

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Pepper to taste
5 TBS butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 425º. Mix Parmesan cheese and plain and panko breadcrumbs together in a shallow dish. Place butter in a different bowl. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel.  Dip chicken in butter. Shake off excess and roll in bread crumbs. shake off excess crumbs and place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn with spatula; bake for additional 8 to 10 minutes until browned. Serves 6.

Nutritional Facts: 

1/6 of recipe, 349 calories, 14 g fat, 12 g carbohydrate,  g fiber, 37 g protein. Weight Watchers Points Plus 8

Taco Skillet

 

I adapted this recipe from a Weight Watchers Mexican casserole recipe I found on Food.com. The original recipe had corn tortillas layered with the meat mixture in a casserole dish. I don't care for soggy tortillas, so I turned it into a skillet dish that you eat with tortilla chips and added my own spices.

 Taco Skillet

 

1 lb ground turkey

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1/2 cup salsa

1 TBS chili powder

1 TBS cumin 

1/2 teaspoon garlic

salt and pepper to taste

4 oz reduced fat cheddar

light sour cream

cilantro, chopped

baked tortilla chips

In a large skillet, brown ground turkey and drain. Add next 8 ingredients; simmer on medium heat until heated through about 10 minutes. Scoop individual serving onto a plate and top with cheddar and sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves 8.

Nutritional Facts: 

1/8 of recipe, 391 calories, 16 g fat, 44 g carbohydrate, 38 g fiber, 21 g protein. Weight Watchers Points Plus 8

Sausage Wild Rice with Mushrooms

Sausage Wild Rice

1 lb. turkey sausage
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
4 oz can chopped mushrooms, drained
2 cups water
6 oz Chicken and Wild Rice Mix (I used Uncle Ben's.)

In a large skillet or dutch oven brown sausage. Add green pepper, onion and mushrooms; saute until tender. Stir in water and rice and seasoning from mix. Heat to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir and serve. 8 servings.

Nutritional Facts: 

1/8 of recipe, 181 calories, 6 g fat, 17 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 15 g protein. Weight Watchers Points Plus 4

Chicken Fajitas: Easy and Quick!

 

I was so amazed that the Picky Kid Quad actually ate these fajitas. Ok, so they just ate the chicken our of them, but I am hoping that some of the vitamins from the peppers seeped onto the meat. :) We ate these without tortilla because I forgot them at the store. I always forget at least one thing on my list. How do I do that?! It's written down!

 

Chicken Fajitas

 

2 TBS oil

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1 1/2 large green peppers, cut into strips 

1/4 onion, cut into strips (I sometimes skip these, my husband is an onion-phob.)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 TBS lime juice

whole wheat tortillas

toppings, such as, shredded 2% cheddar cheese, low fat sour cream, salsa

In a large skillet or dutch oven brown chicken in oil. Add seasonings and vegetables and saute until vegetables are tender. Serve on tortillas with your favorite toppings. Make about 6 tortillas.

Nutritional Facts: 

1 tortilla, 271 calories, 9 g fat, 24 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 19 g protein. Weight Watchers Points Plus 6

Venison Tenderloin Sandwiches

 I married a hunter and quickly learned that I need how to cook deer. I found this delicious recipe in a Taste of Home magazine my mom had given me. The butter and Worcestershire sauce take out the gamey taste of the deer. It's great with or without the rolls. Try it with beef, too.
 BTW, ALL of the Picky Kid Quad love these. I usually don't have enough.

• 2 large onions, sliced
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 8 venison tenderloin steaks (12 ounces), about 3/4 inch thick
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
• 4 hard rolls, split

In a large skillet, saute onions and mushrooms in butter and Worcestershire sauce until onions are tender. Flatten steaks to 1/2 in. thick; add to the skillet.

Cook over medium heat about 3 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness. Sprinkle with garlic powder, pepper and salt if desired. Place two steaks on each roll; top with onions and mushrooms. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Info
2 tenderloins without roll, CALORIES 268, FAT 14g, SODIUM 662, CARBS 6g, PROTIEN 28g, Weight Watch points plus 7

Lasagna Roll-ups

Sneak in some nutrition with a little spinach in your cheese mixture.

Lasagna Roll-ups

8 lasagna noodles

16 oz low fat cottage cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 egg

Pinch Italian seasoning

26 oz spaghetti sauce

Boil lasagna noodles according to package instructions, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, egg and Italian seasoning. Spread the some cheese mixture along the length of a noodle. Roll up from the short end. Place in a 8 x 9 inch pan. Continue with the rest of the noodles. Pour sauce over the rolls. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Makes 8 roll-ups.

Nutrition Info
1 roll-up, CALORIES 267, FAT 9g, SODIUM 890, CARBS 29g, PROTIEN 21g, Weight Watch points plus 7  

Knefla, Yummy German Soup

I spent 6 1/2 years of my childhood North Dakota. There my mom accumulated local cookbooks. She often made us local dish from those cookbooks called Knefla, a German potato soup with homemade "drop" noodles. This soup has definitely become a comfort food for me. It is so yummy served with homemade rolls. It's a meatless dish, so it's perfect for a low cost meal.

Knelfa

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• about 6 cups of water
• 3 chicken boullin cubes
• 1/4 cup of chopped carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 can evaporated milk (The original recipe calls for heavy cream, I substituted for budget's sake. I recently bought evaporated with with coupons and a sale for $.39)

Noodles

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  1 egg
  1/2 cup water
  1 pinch salt 

 Put all soup ingredients, except butter and evaporated milk in a soup pot. Heat to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Mix noodle ingredients until it forms a soft dough. Bring soup to a boil and drop in noodle dough by small teaspoon fulls. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add butter and evaporated milk and cook until warm. Serves 12.

Stay tuned for cost and nutrition info. It's dinner time and the fam needs fed. :)

Sausage gravy and biscuits

This dish has a sentimental quality for me. My maternal grandma cooked sausage gravy and biscuits for us when we came to visit in the summers. I tell that story every time I make this recipe. We often eat this for dinner.

 

Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

• 1 lb roll breakfast sausage (I like to use the hot variety)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• salt and pepper

Brown sausage in a large skillet. Do not drain. Stir in flour and cook on medium for about 5 minutes. Pour in milk. Stir over medium heat until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. If gravy becomes too thick, add more milk. Serve over warm biscuits. 6 servings.

Gold Medal® Classic Biscuits (from bettycrocker.com)

• 2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening, butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup milk

Heat the oven to 450°F. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until mixed. 

Cut in the shortening using a pastry blender or fork, until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the milk until mixture forms a soft dough and leaves the side of the bowl (dough will be soft and sticky).

Lightly sprinkle flour over a cutting board or countertop. Place dough on floured surface; gently roll in the flour to coat. To knead dough, fold dough toward you. With the heels of your hands, lightly push dough away from you with a short rocking motion. Move dough a quarter turn and repeat 10 times. Dough will feel springy and smooth.

On the floured surface, flatten dough evenly, using hands or a rolling pin, until dough is 1/2 inch thick.

Before cutting each biscuit, dip a 2 1/2-inch round cutter into flour to lightly coat it so it will cut cleanly through the dough without sticking. To cut, push the cutter straight down through the dough without twisting or turning. Cut the biscuits as close together as possible. On an ungreased cookie sheet, place biscuits about 1 inch apart for biscuits with crusty sides, or place with sides touching for biscuits with soft sides.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Makes 12 biscuits

Total: $3.29, $.54 per serving

Homemade pizza, $6.12 two pizzas

 

We are pizza people, for sure. We have homemade pizza at least once a week. Pizza is great because you can customize it for your family and what you have on hand. In the picture above, I had some leftover turkey ham and turkey bacon that I used as a topping on one pizza. The other I left plain cheese, a homage to Kevin from Home Alone. (Guess what we watched today?) Here's how I make our pizza crust and sauce. YUM!

Homemade Pizza

Crust:

•  1 1/2 cups of warm water
• 1 pk yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast)
• 1 TBS oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed

Dissolve yeast in warm water in your stand mixer bowl. Stir in oil and salt. Add 3 cups of flour. Don't mix, but attach the bowl to the mixer. Mix with the stand's kneading hook until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding more flour in needed. Pull dough off the hook and form into a ball in the bowl. Drizzle with some oil and turn to coat dough and bowl. Cover and place in a draft-free, warm area until dough is doubled, about an hour.

Punch dough down; divide it into two pieces and press onto two greased, round 12 inch pizza pans.

Lazy-gal's Pizza Sauce:

• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• garlic powder
• oregano

Pour half of tomato sauce on each pizza crust. Sprinkle each with garlic powder and oregano and then spread the sauce evenly over dough with the back of a spoon.

Toppings

• 3 cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella
• Turkey Pepperoni (or toppings of your choice)

Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of cheese on each pizza, then top with pepperonis or other toppings you have chosen.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven on lowest shelf for 13-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned. Makes two 12 inch pizzas.

Total: $6.12 two pizzas,  $.38 per slice (calculated at Aldi's prices)

Nutrition Info
1 slice, CALORIES 179, FAT 5.3g, SODIUM 372, CARBS 21g, FIBER 1, PROTIEN 11g, Weight Watch points plus 5