What I Really Think

I don't know if the Polynesians actually ever made anything like this but Weight Watchers thinks they did and as I went back to the Stir It Up, Super Skillet Cookbook for inspiration again, I thought I'd give it a go. Heck, one of my kids likes chicken and pineapple anyway. Well she just picked out the chicken (but deemed it edible), while the other of the picky palette, glanced at it, and asked, "Can I have a Kids Cuisine?" She's sick, so of course I agreed. I on the other hand really enjoyed it and served it with a 1/2C brown rice. On it's own a 1 3/4C serving comes in at 7 points, with the rice 9.

And we're back with the Sunday Slow Bakers. This week, MarciaB made the selection and a good one she did. We made the Chocolate Polenta Tart. All I can say is yum and yummier!

First it calls for the Polenta Tart Crust, which while I found easy to assemble, I had problems transferring to my tart pan. It kept crumbling. No worries though, I just transferred it in pieces and did a combination of pressing and using my little Pampered Chef roller to get proper coverage. I think this resulted in a thicker crust but we didn't mind (as a matter of fact, Becky asked me to just make the crust next time).

The chocolate filling was totally easy to put together and tasted like warm, fudgy brownie when it came out of the oven. We didn't have ice cream to serve it with, so just dusted on some powdered sugar.

This is a definite make again (as a matter of fact, it will probably be made very often). Next time, I may cut down on the butter in the polenta crust - just to see what happens. Oh and we wrapped it and put it in the refrigerator because we were going away on Saturday (I made the tart on Friday). Sunday night, when we got home, still good, good at room temperature, good cold, and good when Becky nuked it (it's hers and Sammi's new favorite). Oh and for those who are keeping track, at a sliver of 16 servings (as opposed to 10 in the recipe), this comes in at a whopping 7 points a slice.

The eggplant glut continues (I think I have two left in the refrigerator). I also had a bunch of tomatoes left (we got to take 20 last week at the CSA). So I decided to make this dish last night. It takes a little prep time only because you have to roast the eggplant for 15 minutes (so figure in preheat time, roasting, and chopping of vegies), but once that's done, it comes together easily for decent pasta sauce. Heck, even Becky liked it (though she didn't actually eat it - opting for plain pasta, and just a taste of the sauce).

We love Indian food. But I've always been intimidated to make it at home. Not to mention the caloric count on many dishes. You can imagine my surprise though when my sil recommended a Chicken Tikka Masala recipe on the Weight Watchers site. I had to give it a shot, and I have to say, it was pretty darn good. I can't say whether or not it's "authentic" but it sure takes good. I've made it twice now and both times we enjoyed it.

This is an old standard recipe that I've lightened a bit using fat free sour cream and egg beaters. Though I think I'm going to go back to either light sour cream and/or real eggs - I just think the consistency is better. I may cut down the sugar instead - consider the lightened version a work in process.

Noodle Pudding (5 points), serves 16 with other side dishes, 12 (and 7 points) solo

16 ounces no yolk egg noodles -- medium
1 1/2 cups sugar
15 ounces applesauce
1 cup egg beaters, Fat Free
2 cups sour cream, no fat
1/4 cup light butter, unsalted
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup raisins

1. Boil noodles and drain put back into the pot
2. Add all ingredients except cinnamon
3. Pour into greased 13 x 9 pan
4. Sprinkle w/ cinnamon
5. Bake 90 minutes at 350 or bake 45 minutes and freeze then bake one hour from the freezer

Wednesday night (for reasons I will discuss in some future post), I wanted something quick and easy for dinner and yet comforting. Of course, when I planned our weekly menu (yes I plan a menu on the weekend and then Chris food shops based upon that menu), I had no idea that's what I would want, so this one worked out really well.

The soup comes together in a few minutes, and cooks for maybe 15-20 minutes before you eat it. I didn't bother with the salad, but we had some left over ciabatta that Chris toasted up, rubbed with garlic, sprinkled with salt and drizzled olive oil over to make a nice accompaniment.

No pictures (maybe I'll get one at lunch today) but it's soup; it's easy and it's good. Oh and for you Weight Watchers out there not necessarily good value (7 points in a 1C serving) but it is pretty darn filling and with a salad, makes a good meal.

Pasta e Fagioli
From

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
1 1/2 tablespoons bottled minced garlic
1 cup water
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 cup uncooked small seashell pasta (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, drained
Minced fresh parsley (optional)
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until browned, stir-ring to crumble. Add water, broth, and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta, 1/4 cup cheese, oregano, salt, pepper, and beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 8 minutes or until pasta is done. Let stand 5 minutes; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Garnish each serving with parsley and red pepper, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 353 (26% from fat); FAT 10.2g (sat 3.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.3g); IRON 4.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 34mg; CALCIUM 177mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.6g; SODIUM 742mg; PROTEIN 20.5g; FIBER 4.5g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2000

Pasta Amatriciana

Okay - let's get past the debates of what is and what isn't an authentic amatriciana sauce. This is the standard in our home and pretty much a "go to" recipe in our house. It takes about as long to prepare as it does to boil the water and, keeping the pancetta in the freezer, is pretty much a pantry meal. Hope you enjoy.

Pasta Amatriciana

• 3 T olive oil (honestly, I don't normally use this much, maybe 1T maybe cooking spray when I'm really counting points)
• 4 oz pancetta finely chopped (btw - I know a "standard" substitution in this country for pancetta has been bacon but I find bacon too smokey. While following Weight Watchers, I've actually subbed Canadian Bacon and found that worked well)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1T garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2t dried oregano
• 1 28 oz can Italian plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (I just break them in the pan with the back of a wooden spoon)
• 1/2t red pepper flakes (I use 1/4t when the kids will eat otherwise it's too spicy for them)
• 1T fresh basil leaves, finely slivered (if I don't have fresh basil, I use 1t dried and it when I add the oregano)
• 8C cooked pasta (I've used spaghetti, rigatoni, whatever)

1. Heat olive oil and add the pancetta in a heavy skillet.
2. When the pancetta starts to brown, add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onion is soft.
3. Stir in the oregano (and basil if using dry), tomatoes and hot red pepper flakes.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce has thickened about 30 minutes.
5. Stir in the basil and season to taste w/ salt and pepper (you know, rarely do I add salt and pepper).
6. Toss with the cooked pasta.

At six servings, this comes in at 7 Weight Watchers points per serving. At four servings, 10 points (and that's a hefty serving)

Yes, I know I missed last week and I still intend to make the veggie stew but in the meantime, I skipped ahead and on Friday night I made Jerry's Risotto al Granchio e Gamberi.

The original recipe called for 6T olive oil but I cut that down to 2T. And at 6 servings (about 8 oz each), this came in at 7 points a serving (with the 6T it would be 10 points). I also used canned tomatoes as winter tomatoes suck. I drained the canned, diced tomatoes and measured 1 cup. Otherwise, everything was the same.

I found the crab meat I bought a bit fishy or strong in taste and may make this again with better quality crab or only shrimp. Oh, and I used rock shrimp, which I didn't bother to chop, and found to be sweet and delicious.

Shrimp and Crab Risotto