Caprese Pasta

From Giada De Laurentiis

1 (16 oz) box Pasta
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 1/2 pints Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 cup Basil leaves, torn
8 oz fresh Mozzarella, diced


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain pasta into large bowl (reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid). In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil, add garlic and saute until fragrant, about two minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about four minutes. Transfer tomato sauce to the bowl of pasta. Toss to combine. Add the remaining cooking liquid, basil, and mozzarella. Stir to combine.

Super Yummy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375ºF (175ºC).(or I do 325 in a convection oven)

Line a cookie sheet or two with parchment.
Cream butter and sugars until creamy, then add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add Peanut butter and continue to beat until combined.
Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir to combine.
Add chips and stir again.
Drop small spoonfuls of dough onto parchment (you should get a dozen per sheet).

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

I don't remember where I found this recipe but it is super yummy! The mashed potatoes are some of the best we ever had and the pork chops fall apart and are delicious. It is super easy. Enjoy!

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup

4 lbs peeled, cubed potatoes
5 Tablespoons real butter
1 Cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves roasted garlic (click for directions how to roast garlic)
1- 1 1/2 Cups warm skim milk (any milk will do, I just happened to use skim)
1 Tablespoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste

1. Place pork chops, Ranch seasoning and soup into a medium sized crock pot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours.

2. Place potatoes into a large pot of cold water. Place onto stovetop over high heat and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, cook for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and transfer to the work bowl of a stand or electric mixer. Mix on low until potatoes are mashed then add butter, parmesan, garlic, milk, salt and pepper. Season to taste if needed. For thinner mashed potatoes add more milk, slowly until your desired consitency.

3. Scoop mashed potatoes onto serving plates and top with pork chops and soup gravy from crock pot. Enjoy!

Easy Tomato Soup

2 cans stewed tomatoes (any variety--Italian, Mexican, Plain)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 T minced fresh basil OR 1-2 tsp. dry
(you can add other spices like garlic or oregano or dried onion depending on what kind of tomatoes you used)
1/2 C light sour cream OPTIONAL

1. Place first three ingredients in blender, and process until smooth. our into saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; spoon 2 T sour cream into soup in each bowl, and stir gently to swirl. Sprinkle evenly with basil.

Source: Weight Watchers Five Ingredient 15 minute Recipes

Spinach Calazones with Blue Cheese

1 (13.8 ounce) can refrigerated pizza dough OR your favorite pizza crust recipe
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup (3 oz) crumbled blue cheese
1 1/3 cups sliced mushrooms
4 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
Cooking Spray

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Unroll dough (or roll out homemade dough) onto a smooth surface. Pat out dough to a 12 X 10-inch rectangle. Cut into 4 (6 X 5-inch) rectangles. Sprinkle garlic evenly over dough. Top each rectangle with 3 T cheese, 1/3 C mushrooms, and 1 C spinach. Bring 2 opposite corners to center, tucking in spinach (pockets will be very full) and pinching all points together to seal. Place on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 425 for 11 minutes or until golden brown.

(Note: I liked this best with a whole wheat crust. You could substitute a milder cheese like Gorgonzola. I have also substituted frozen spinach--cook it in the microwave for a bit to defrost and then squeeze out liquid. Otherwise there will be took much water inside the calazones).

Source: Weight Watchers Five Ingredient 15 minute Recipes

Cranberry-Glazed Salmon

1 orange
1/2 cup cranberry chutney
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
Cooking spray
1/4 salt
1/4 pepper

1. Preheat broiler (I like the low setting)
2. Grate rind and squeeze orange, reserving 1 teaspoon grated rind and 2 Tablespoons juice; reserve remaining juice for another use.
3. Combine 1 tsp. rind, 2 T. juice, chutney, soy sauce, and mustard in a small bowl.
4. Place salmon fillets, (if they have skin, skin side down) on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Spread about 2 tablespoons chutney mixture evenly over each fillet. Broil 9 to 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork. Yields: 4 servings. WW Points value: 7

(Note: You can buy cranberry chutney in many grocery stores. I like to make a big batch of cranberry chutney--found at any good recipe website--and freeze portions of it for future use. You can use canned whole berry sauce or you in the late Fall you can use fresh berries.)

Source: Weight Watchers Five Ingredient 15 minute Recipes

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