Today's Recipes

Here are a couple of recipes I am in the process of making today for dinner. If you click on the title of the recipe it will link you to the original recipe, but I will put the recipe as I made it on this blog and let you know what I thought of how I made it and then you can try for yourself whichever way you choose.

Hamburger - Millet Stew

1/2 lb. hamburger, browned
2/3 cup millet
1 qt. vegetable brother
2 onions, cut in wedges or large chunks
2 potatoes, cut in cubes
2 carrots, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup celery, sliced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/4 tsp. rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

Toast millet in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes; stir constantly to avoid burning. Add millet to slow cooker. Brown hamburger in same skillet and add to slow cooker.
Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS:
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 1/4 cups skim milk
1/2 cup Splenda
5 cups cubed or torn stale cinnamon raisin bread
1 C Reese Pieces Chips
Whipped cream

1. Heat the oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the eggs, milk, and sugar. Add the bread and stir gently until all of it is fully covered with the egg mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 8- by 8-inch casserole dish.
3. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean and the pudding is lightly browned and puffed up on the edges. Makes 6 servings.

The menu for tonight

So, the in-laws are coming over tonight for dinner and then we are going to a play.

Here's the menu:

Marinated Grilled Sirloin (started marinating yesterday)
Fresh Spinach & Strawberry Salad
Lentil Rice Casserole (a WW type recipe, never had it before, so I'll let you know)
Strawberry (Banana) Pie - see recipe & modifications below

Sound yummy?

Strawberry Pie (Weight Watchers)

I am going to make this tonight for tomorrow evening's dinner with the in-laws. So, I can let you know how it tastes. Although I am going to put a shortbread crust with it, thus making it not so weight watchers anymore.

Strawberry Pie (Weight Watchers)

1 pkg. sugar free strawberry Jello
1 pkg. sugar free vanilla pudding
1 qt. fresh strawberries
2 c. water

Add Jello and pudding to water. Bring to a full boil. Slice strawberries. Add strawberries to hot Jello and pudding. Pour into 9" pie pan. Refrigerate.

For Weight Watchers: 1/4 pie equals 1 FR and 28 optional calories.

Andy's Scones

Andy's Scones

Blend Together:
2 C Flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 C sugar

Cut In:
6 T Butter

Stir In:
1/2 C craisins (regular or cherry flavored, or substitute 3/4 C fresh strawberries)
1/2 C white chocolate chips

Whisk:
1 egg
Milk (enough to make 1 C of mixture when added to egg)

Stir milk/egg mixture into other ingredients, just until blended.
Place spoonfuls on non-stick cookie sheet.
Bake @ 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
Makes 12

***Some day I will try making these with my usual substitutions of ww flour, splenda & smart balance. When I do, I'll let you know how they taste and what the WW points would be.

Oat Bran Banana Pancakes

This recipe came from this cookbook. This is such a great cookbook. And it has more than just breakfast recipes. We had gotten this almost 5 years ago as a bridal shower gift from a friend.

The recipe comes from this B&B in Maine, although we have never been there. So, I can't speak to that B&B at all.

I only tweaked the recipe slightly. It already seemed pretty healthy (low in calories & high in fiber.) I replaced the all-purpose flour w/ whole wheat flour and sugar with splenda and left out the nuts. It wasn't a WW recipe, but I added up points on my version to see what it would be. So, here is my version of it.

*** Ok, I had to change a little more because it was way too thick. Andy compared it to eating a steak, when we ate some from the first batch. After scooping(yes, scooping) the first batch out I added about 3/4 C water to the mix and it had the consistency of pancakes. They were very good though, and very filling. ***

Oat Bran Banana Pancakes
1 C Oat Bran
1 C Whole Wheat Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 T Splenda
1/2 C Banana (mashed)
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 C Plain FF Yogurt
1 Egg, whole
3 Egg Whites

Directions: In a large bowl, combine the bran, flour, soda, & suagr. Stir in the banana & vanilla. Add yogurt & whole egg. In a separate bowl beat egg whites, then fold into bran mixture. Let sit for 30-45 minutes. Cook pancakes as you do. Makes 6 servings of 3 pancakes.

WW Points per serving: 2.50 (plus whatever you put on top. I like to use Smart Balance & SF Syrup, Andy puts on a lite syrup on his.)

*** After making it I was able to figure out how many servings there were, because the actual recipe said 4-6, but honestly they are so filling that you only need 3 pancakes. It makes 18 pancakes total. Now I have a bunch of leftover pancakes in the frigde. Guess what we are having for breakfast the next couple of days. ***