Monday, October 11, 2010

Tortellini Primavera


1 9oz package cheese tortellini
1 cup sliced asparagus
1 cup cubed yellow squash
1 cup cubed zucchini
1/2 cup sundried tomato halves
2 Tbsp pesto
2 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Cook tortellini 8 mins. Add asparagus, squash & zucchini. Cook another 2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.

While pasta cooks, heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, pesto & garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 1-2 minutes; stirring constantly. Add reserved liquid, pasta, vegetables & basil. Toss. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 1 1/2 cup servings. 6pts each.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Searching through my recipe box to plan meals for the week and I came across this recipe which is sooooooo good and so simple to make. It's probably not very point friendly but every once in a while we need to splurge right?



3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened & 1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 large egg whites
1 1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°. Brush a cake pan (springform, as I have used, or 8- or 9-inch square or round pans will all work fine) with the melted butter and set aside.

Combine first 3 ingredients; set aside.

Place granulated sugar and softened 1/4 cup of butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat well.

Spread half of batter into an the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of walnut streusel over batter. Spread remaining batter over streusel. Top with remaining streusel.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack. If using a springform pan, allow the cake to cool completely before releasing the outer ring.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Fiber One Banana Bread


2 cups Fiber One® Honey Clusters® cereal
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk *I used fat free milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and crush with rolling pin or meat mallet (or crush in food processor).
2. In large bowl, beat sugar and oil with electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. On low speed, beat in buttermilk, vanilla and egg until smooth. Beat in bananas. Beat in flour, baking soda and salt until will blended.
3. Stir in cereal just until mixed. Spread in pan.
4. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing.



I made muffins out of this recipe, because that's how Miss Em likes to eat banana bread. She brought one in to one of her teachers who thought it was delicious. I baked them for 18 minutes. They were perfectly cooked.

Orange Beef with Broccoli Stir Fry



1/4 cup low sodium beef broth
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp corn starch
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1lb top round london broil, cut into strips
1 10oz package broccoli, thawed & drained *I used broc/cauliflower, it's what I had
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice *I used the lower calorie one
salt & pepper to taste

Whisk together broth, soy sauce, lemon juice & corn starch; set aside.

Warm oil in wok. Add beef. Turn heat to high & cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink. Add broccoli & cook until warmed through.

Stir in reserved sauce, oj & zest. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened.

Serves 4.