What's For Dinner Tonight!

Squash Soup!

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds yellow summer squash
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1/4 lemon, sliced, seeds removed
• 1/4 cup flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 3 to 4 grinds of fresh nutmeg or dash of ground nutmeg
• 1 cup heavy cream

Preparation:

Wash and trim squash. Slice, reserving 8 very thin slices for garnish. In a large saucepan, melt butter; gently saute onion and lemon. Sprinkle with flour and cook slowly, stirring, until flour is absorbed. Add chicken broth gradually, then sliced squash, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour. Puree soup in blender or food processor. Add nutmeg. To heat, stir in cream with a wire whisk and cook over low heat. Do not allow to boil. Garnish cream of squash soup with reserved squash slices.
Squash soup serves 8.

Grape Juice Chicken

This is from my WW cookbook but I changed it a little (including the name) b/c I didn't have all the ingredients!:P

You need:

2 T Veg. oil
1 Granny Smith apple
1 T brown sugar
4 (4 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper
1 medium onion, thinly sliced and ringed
1/2 c. grape juice (it calls for apple cider, but I didn't have any! I'm sure you can use any type of juice)
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
2 c. hot cooked wide noodles (I've used other kinds)

1. Over med. heat, saute your apples in 1 T. oil, then sprinkle them with the brown sugar; cook until tender then transfer them to a plate.
2. Sprinkle the chkn. with cinn., salt, and pepper and using the other T. oil, saute them until brown (4-5 min. per side) and transfer these to a plate.
3. Using the same skillet, cook the onion, covered until tender. Stir in the juice and vinegar. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid cooks off by about half.
4. Return everything to the skillet (chkn, apples) and cook until heated through (2 min?) Arrange the noodles on the plate first with the chicken mixture on top. Pour some of the juice over each peice of chicken/noodles.

1/2 c. noodles, 1 chicken breast, and 1/4 c. sauce = 352 calories which is around 8 points WW.

ENJOY! My whole family found this meal to be very tasty and filling! If you try it leave me a comment and tell me what you think!

Since I'm on a Salad Theme this month...

Debbie Marsh's (Mimi) Gergie Salad

1 head lettuce
4 green onions
6-8 slices bacon, crumbled
3 oz. toasted (sliced) almonds
4 t. sesame seeds
1/2 c. chinese noodles
Mix crunchies together and cover in dressing right before serving.
Dressing:
4 T. sugar
1 T. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 c. salad oil
6 T. white vinegar(mix and shake)

"Enjoy! Recipe is from Albq. New Mexico!" ~ Debbie

CUCUMBER SALAD
1 c. plain yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. dried mint
1 T. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
Garnish: fresh mint sprig
Stir together yogurt and next 5 ingredients.
Add cucumbers and toss.
Garnish if desired.

ORANGE-BERRY SALAD
Given to me by Grandmama Marsh a few years ago.
8 servings
1 (lloz) can mandarin oranges
2 (3 oz) pkgs. strawberry or raspberry jello
1 (16oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 c. pecan piecesmint sprigs

Drain oranges, reserving juice. Add water to make 3 cups. Pour into a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in gelatin until disolved. Cover and refrigerate until partially set. Fold oranges, cranberry sauce and nuts into gelatin. Pour into lightly oiled 6 c. ringmold. Cover and refrigerate until frim. Garnish w/ mint. Serve with chilled dressing, sprinkled with zest and a piece of mint.

On the side: 1/2 c. prepared Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing2 T. orange juice1 t. grated orange zest (reserve some for garnish)whipped cream

Strawberry Salad

My friend, Kristin, asked me to post this one and send it to her. We had this on a picnic on the hill at SBTS. Miss you my friend! :) Hope you make it and think of me!

12 ozs. fresh spinach leaves
1 qt. fresh strawberries- hulled, quartered
2 tsp. sesame seeds
1/2 c. pecans, almonds, or walnuts
1/2 c. veg. oil
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. distilled vinegar
1 1/2 grated onion
1/4 tsp. worchestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 can mandarin orange slices
- wash/drain spinach, then squeeze dry between layers of paper towels; tear into bite-sized pieces
- toss together spinach, strawberries, orange slices, sesame seeds and walnuts in a large bowl; set aside
- in a separate bowl, beat together oil, sugar, vinegar, onion, worchestershire sauce, and paprika
- pour prepared dressing over salad and toss to coat
- serve immediately

Bagelheads Coleslaw

I love the coleslaw at Bagelheads here in Pensacola, so I'm going to try to make it myself at home! Tonight we're having Teryaki Chicken, Bourbon Baked Beans (Bush's!), and Bagelheads slaw... If you have my cookbook, you have the recipe for the chicken already, so here is the coleslaw:

1 pound cabbage, finely shredded
2 (3-ounce) packages ramen noodles, any flavor
1 (2-ounce) package slivered almonds
1/4 cup butter
1 cup vinegar
1 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped

Remove seasoning packets from noodles and set packets aside. Crumble noodles in package. In a skillet over medium heat, cook noodles and almonds in butter until lightly browned; set aside.
For dressing, combine vinegar, oil, sugar, soy sauce and seasoning packets from noodles in a jar; put lid on and shake well to blend. Refrigerate dressing.
Immediately before serving, toss together noodle mixture, dressing, onion and cole slaw.

So good! Call me if you have questions about this post or if you have a better recipe!! :)

Quesadilla Night!

Okay, so tonight we're having Quesadillas, salsa, and chips! For my quesadillas I just put the tortilla in the skillet, add cheese, chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, (whatever else I want), and onions. I close it up while it's still in the skillet and then turn it! I take it out and serve with some low-calorie/light sour cream. Wallah! Great meal. We'll probably have a side salad as well. We're trying to get our veggies!!! :)