Weight Watchers Chili

Don't let the name of this soup deter you from trying it! Really, it's pretty darn good! I actually took this picture over a year ago...not sure why it is barely making it's debut. We had this tonight for our Annual Halloween "chili and cornbread" Dinner.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground Turkey (Jenni-O has 98% fat free)

1 med yellow onion, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

*add salt and pepper then saute all together.

In a large pot, combine:

2 (28oz) cans diced tomatoes

2 med. zuchinni (partially peeled), chop

1-2 cans black beans, strain and rinse

2 (15oz) cans fat free beef broth

2 green bell peppers, chop

1 whole packet chili seasoning (sometimes I'll add a little more if I have it)

Add the meat mixture to the veggies, and simmer about 30 minutes, uncovered (just check to make sure veggies are cooked).

*FYI* 1 cup of chili= 1 point in weight watchers

*Good to add sour cream and shredded cheese on top (but this obviously isn't part of the "weight watchers" point system)!

*cornbread is a great side dish.

*Serves~6

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I got this recipe from Noelle Bastian a few years ago. The original recipe makes bars, but we do it in the cheesecake pan and like it a little better...

Crust:

20 chocolate graham crackers

2T sugar

4T butter, melted

Filling:

2 pkgs cream cheese

1c sugar

1c canned pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

3T flour

1t pumpkin pie spice

1/2t salt

4 oz chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.

Blend cookies with sugar until finely ground (1c crumbs). Add butter, pulse til moistened.

(If you do this in the Blendtec, it takes 3 whole seconds, it's incredible!)

Transfer crumb mixture to pan, press into bottom. Bake til fragrant and slightly firm (12-15 min). Cool.

Place cream cheese in food processor, blend til smooth. Add sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs, flour, spice, and salt.

Melt chocolate 30 seconds at a time in microwave. Add 1 c pumpkin mixture, stir to combine.

Pour remaining mixture into spring form pan. Drop dollops of chocolate onto pumpkin mixture, swirl. Bake til set, but jiggles slightly (about 40-50 min).

Cool, cover and chill til firm (about 2 hours).

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

1 12 oz can evaporated milk

4 eggs

1 1/2 c white sugar

2 t pumpkin pie spice

1 t salt

1 pkg yellow cake mix

1 cup chopped pecans (optional, yuck!)

1 c margarine, melted

1 8 oz container whipped topping

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease one 9x13 in baking pan.

In large bowl, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix well and spread into prepared pan.

Sprinkle cake mix over top of pumpkin mixture and pat down. Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over cake mix, then drizzle with melted margarine.

Bake for 60-80 min, or until done. Top with whipped topping when ready to serve.

Stromboli

1 16oz loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

1/4 lb thinly sliced ham

1/4 lb sliced hard salami

1/2 t dried basil, divided

1/2 t dried oregano, divided

3 oz sliced provolone cheese

1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

2 T butter, melted

1 t cornmeal

Place bread dough on lightly greased baking sheet; pat to a 15x10-in rectangle. Arrange ham slices lengthwise down center; place salami on top. Sprinkle with 1/4t basil and oregano. Arrange provolone over herbs, top with mozzarella; sprinkle with remaining herbs.

Moisten all edges of dough with water. bring each long edge of dough to center; press edges together securely to seal. Seal ends.

Brush dough with 1 T butter. Sprinkle with cornmeal, carefully invert. Brush top with remaining butter. Bake at 375 for 20-22 min.

Fresh Peach and Cream Cheese Pie

I'm intimidated by pie crusts...so when I saw this had a graham cracker crust I was all over it! :)

I found the recipe here:

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com Time: 1 hour + 1 hour chilling time Yield: 2 pies Peach Topping: 1/2 C water 3 T cornstarch 2 large peaches, peeled and smashed up 1 C sugar 1/2 t almond extract 2 T butter 8 peaches, peeled and sliced Crust: 3 C graham cracker crumbs (about 2 packages) 7 T butter, melted 1/2 C sugar 1/8 t cinnamon dash salt Filling: 2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened 1 16 oz cool whip 2 C powdered sugar 2 t vanilla dash salt PEACH TOPPING 1. Place your cornstarch into a small bowl. Pour the 1/2 C water over the top and stir it around until it's all combined. 2. In a separate bowl smash up the 2 peaches. 3. Put your smashed peaches, sugar, almond extract, butter and cornstarch mixture into a medium sized sauce pan. Stir it all up. 4. Heat up the mixture over medium high. Let it come to a boil while you stir it. Let it cook for about 2 minutes or until it's nice and thick. Set it aside to cool. Give your self a high five. CRUST 1. Put all crust ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Stir them around until well combined. 2. Divide the mixture in half. Press each half into a 9 inch pie tin. I like to use a measuring cup to press it in. FILLING 1. With electric beaters (or with your stand mixer) beat the cream cheese until smooth. 2. Add the sugar, vanilla, dash of salt, and beat until nice and smooth....again with the smooth. 3. Add your cool whip....and get the old girl rolling. Blend it up until it's fluffy-ish. Wow. That's technical. 4. Put half of the filling into each crust. Spread it out evenly with a knife. 5. Add the rest of your fresh peaches to the your cooled topping glaze. Stir until combined and pour over the top of each pie. Wrap each pie with plastic wrap and let it chill out in the fridge for at least an hour. *I only made one pie...the recipe was very simple to 1/2* *I will make this again, but next time I'll make some homemade whipping cream to substitute for the cool whip...It's my opinion, but I think homemade flavor is better than cool whip!

Smoked Salmon Dip

Landon's brother sent him some smoked salmon from washington for his birthday this year, along with this awesome recipe he shared with us for Bexley's blessing.

2 chunks smoked salmon

4-6 oz grated smoked cheddar

8 oz cream cheese

1/4 red onion, finely chopped

1 t garlic powder

Mix all ingredients, serve with crackers.

Leftover Roast on Focaccia

The best Sunday dinner is roast and potatoes and rolls, but even better is using the leftover roast for a sandwich! And my sister in law came up with the greatest idea to use homemade focaccia bread for the sandwich.

First, the Roast:
We usually sear the roast in butter, then cook some onions in the pan afterward and throw it all in the crockpot. Add some water and a few seasonings (salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, etc) and let it cook as long as possible. An hour or so before it's done, shred the meat and let it sit in all the juices for a bit.

Focaccia Bread
Put the following in to the bread machine in this order:
1 c lukewarm water
1 t sugar
1 1/2 t salt
1/3 c olive oil
2 1/2 c flour
1 t dried basil
1 t rosemary
2 t yeast
Set to dough. When done roll out, cover with towel and let rise at least 40 min. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 425 for 15 min.

We add cheddar cheese, tomatoes, mayo, and avocado to our sandwiches.