Trader Joe's Meatless Corn Dogs

After I tried the Trader Joe's Turkey Corn Dogs I swore off the whole corn dog experience (at least from Trader Joe's). That is until I saw a friend on Instagram post about the Trader Joe's Meatless Corn Dogs. I figured I typically like frozen vegetarian corn dogs better than the meat variety ... so I opted to pick up a box to give a whirl.

 

The other night I was so unsure as to what I wanted for dinner. I stood in front of the freezer scanning my potential options and I decided to give the corn dogs a shot. I popped them into the oven and let them bake. When done, the crust on the outside was nicely crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside (perfection!). Biting into the "hot dog" I found the texture to be softer and mushier than that of a real hot dog. It wasn't a displeasing texture, but it's certainly a little different.

 

As a "meat eater" I can say if you served these to a crowd, no one would truly know they're vegetarian, they'd just know the texture of the hot dog inside was a little softer than your average hot dog. I find with vegetarian corn dogs they are all made differently and the filling is always made up slightly different so not one is the same as another. Regardless, I found them to be pretty good with a drizzle of mustard and ketchup over them.

 

They were filling (I served them alongside some french fries and a green salad) and flavorful. I'd definitely repurchase these again.

A serving, 1 corn dog is 160 calories or 4 points plus values.

Chili, Bean & Rice Stuffed Peppers

One afternoon I was watching some YouTube videos that were in my subscription feed when I stumbled upon a video from Laura Vitale. It was a recipe on her chili stuffed peppers. The dish itself looked fabulous and it was a very unique take on having stuffed peppers and even chili so I decided to give it a try. I checked over the recipe and adapted it to the way that I make my chili, only adding in some brown sugar as Laura did in her video while I decided to skip adding cheese to my stuffed peppers.  The end result was nothing other than spectacular.

 

So spectacular that I've actually made these twice so far. They're so good, that my somewhat picky mother has asked me to make these a few times because she enjoyed them so much when I made them the first time. The last time I made a batch, it was Superbowl Sunday and my brother was in love ... so much so he took one home. They're utterly delicious, satisfying and a total hit!

Serves 12, 1/2 stuffed pepper serving, 5 points plus per serving (you can have a whole pepper - 2 halves - for 10 points plus values)

Ingredients:

* 20 oz. lean 93% lean ground turkey (you can substitute for beef if you prefer)

* 14.5 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained (you can substitute for whatever bean you prefer)

* 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, slightly drained

* 32 oz canned crushed tomatoes

* 6 oz canned tomato paste

* 1 medium onion, chopped

* 6 medium bell peppers, cut in half, seeds removed

* 2 cups cooked white rice (you can substitute for brown if you prefer)

* 2/3 cup water

* 1/2 tbsp McCormick Steak Seasoning (optional)

* 3 tbsp chili powder

* 3 tsp cumin

* 1 tbsp minced garlic

* 1 tsp black pepper

* 1 tsp salt

* 1 tbsp brown sugar

 

Cut peppers in half and remove the seeds (leave stems if you can, it helps the peppers hold their shape and filling better). Spray a large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and add peppers into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

 

When peppers are done, remove from the pan and drain of any liquid that sits within the pepper and return the partially cooked peppers back to the pan.

 

Spray a pan with high sides with non-stick cooking spray, cooking over medium-high temperature, add in ground turkey and steak seasoning and begin to crumble up with a spoon. As the meat cooks, add in the garlic and onion and cook until meat is no longer pink and onions are softened.

 

Add in chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and brown sugar. Stir to combine, allowing the spices to blend with the meat and onion mixture.  Add in tomato paste and mix to combine.

 

Add in diced tomatoes, black beans, crushed tomatoes, and water and mix until nicely combined. Allow the mixture to simmer and thicken, coming together in roughly 15 minutes.

 

Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes before adding in your cooked rice. Stirring it in to combine well to make sure the sauce covers all the rice and the mixture thickens together nicely.

 

Using a measuring cup, add in 1/4 cup of mixture into each pepper at a time, until all mixture is divided evenly into each halved pepper (if you end up with extra mixture, use a teaspoon and divide the mixture evenly).

 

Pop the stuffed peppers back into a 350* oven and allow to bake for 20 minutes. Remove peppers from oven and allow to cool 15-minutes before serving.

Beef and Bean Chili

Chili is one of those comfort foods that I remember growing up eating. Once fall rolls around chili season is in and it stays until spring begins. It's one of those dishes that I truly enjoy because it's versatile, filling and a family favorite.  What I think I like best about chili is the fact you can transform it without really doing much work. You can change up the meat, beans, vegetables, etc. Then you can eat it as is, over rice, with cheese/sour cream, with pasta, stuffed into bell peppers, etc. The possibilities are truly endless ... and at the end of the day it's comforting.

This particular dish is my basic chili recipe - the one I use regardless of what type of ground meat I'm using. I have changed up the vegetables, adding/subtracting ingredients .. but this is my tried and true.

Serves 9. 1 cup serving. 4 Points Plus Values.
Ingredients:

* 1 1/8 lb 93% lean ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 medium bell pepper, chopped (red or green - your choice)
* 14.5 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (you can substitute for any bean of your choice)
* 14.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (you can substitute for any bean of your choice)
* 28 oz can Hunts Tomatoes, Crushed
* 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
* 2 tbsp minced garlic
* 3 tbsp chili powder
* 3 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tsp black pepper
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 1/2 tsp ground oregano
* 3/4 cup water

In a large pan with high sides, spray pan with non-stick cooking spray, heating over medium-high heat. Add in ground beef and begin to brown, seasoning with salt and pepper. As  the meat begins to brown, add in onion, bell peppers and garlic. Mixing to combine, allow the mixture to cook until the beef is cooked through and the onions are softened and slightly translucent.

Sprinkle meat and vegetable mix with chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano. Stir to combine, allowing the natural oils from the seasonings to come to life.

Add in drained beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes and water. Stirring until all ingredients are well combined.  Adjust seasonings where necessary.

Allow chili to simmer over medium-low heat for 30-45 minutes.

Weight Watchers Bacon Meatloaf

I picked up the Weight Watchers Comfort Food Cookbook at my meeting with the intention on making a few recipes from it. With fall (and now winter-like weather) upon us comfort foods are where it's at. I have a fan favorite meatloaf that I always tend to make but seeing a Bacon Meatloaf I knew I had to give it a try.

So one evening I whipped up a meatloaf for dinner and I have to say it was delicious! My sister-in-law even said that it was one of the best meatloaves she has ever had (she may have even said it's better than the one her mother made). I personally found it to be one of the better meatloaves I have had in a while. It was juicy, flavorful and an overall crowd pleaser. It was so good I reinvented it into mini meatloaves which came out fabulously.

The recipe itself takes a small amount of prep work but everything comes together quickly and effortlessly - and before you know it, dinner is on the table.

Weight Watchers Bacon Meatloaf

Serves 6. 7 Points Plus Values/serving. 2 slices per serving. 257 calories.

Ingredients:

* 1 tbsp canola oil

* 3/4 lb white mushrooms, finely chopped

* 1 onion, finely minced

* 1 1/2 lbs ground lean beef (&% fat or less)

* 1/2 cup plain dried whole wheat bread crumbs

* 1/4 cup ketchup

* 1 large egg, beaten

* 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

* 1 tsp salt

* 2 slices center cut bacon, cut lengthwise in half

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Spray small roasting pan with nonstick spray

2. Heat oil in large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion, cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.

3. Transfer mushroom mixture to large bowl; let cool slightly. Add beef, bread crumbs, ketchup, egg, Worcestershire sauce, and salt; mix until blended but not over-mixed.

4. Transfer meat loaf mixture to prepared pan; shape into a 4 x 8 inch loaf. Lay slices of bacon on top. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of load registers 160*F for well done, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into 12 slices.

Corn Chowder

Living in New England chowders are "the thing" but considering I'm not the biggest fan of seafood ... my love of chowders are very limited. Limited as in ... corn chowder is where it's at. Growing up my mother would make corn chowder every once in a while. My mom would make two renditions - one with cream or one with canned evaporated milk. Both are delicious - but the evaporated milk is definitely lighter.

I simmer my chowder with the corn cobs in it because it helps develop the corn flavor. The flavoring/juices are within the cob and boiling it it helps infuse that flavor ... otherwise one might end up with a slightly bland dish. If you aren't able to find corn on the cob, you can always skip and use frozen sweet corn.

The consistency of this is slightly thicker than that of a soup, but it's certainly not as thick as a stew. You could add a little cornstarch and water mixture to the end result if you're looking for it to be thicker.

 

Serves 8. 4 Points Plus Values. 1 Cup serving size.

Ingredients:

* 1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced

* 1 cup onion, chopped

* 1 tbsp margarine

* 4 medium corn on the cob, corn cut off cobs (make sure you keep cobs they go in the soup)

* 2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes

* 1 tsp olive oil

* 1 cup skim milk

* 3 cups water

* 12 oz can fat free evaporated milk

* 2 tbsp flour

* Salt, to taste

* Black pepper, to taste (you can use white pepper if you wish but I prefer black)

 

In a large soup pot over medium heat, add in olive oil and saute bell pepper and onion. Cook until onion is translucent and bell pepper has softened.

Add margarine to pan, sprinkle cooked vegetables with flour, stir gingerly until flour is cooked out and no longer visible.

Season with salt and pepper then add in corn kernels, hash brown potatoes, corn cobs and allow mixture to cook together gently for 2-3 minutes. Add in water, skim milk and evaporated milk - cover pot with a lid and allow the chowder to come to a slow boil.

Adjust seasonings and allow chowder to simmer for roughly 40 minutes.

Haul: Weight Watchers All-American Comfort Cookbook

I had been eying this cookbook at my local Weight Watchers meeting for weeks. I know cookbooks tend to go on sale so I waited ... and waited .... and finally decided to not wait any longer and picked up the Weight Watchers All-American Comfort Cookbook. I purchased ... and the next week it went on sale (HA!).

 

My leader had been raving about some of the recipes in the cookbook and with fall upon us and comfort food being the dishes most people gravitate towards I figured why not? After skimming through the cookbook I decided to give at least one of the recipes a shot right away. I found a meatloaf recipe that I decided to give a shot and it's truly one of the most delicious meatloaves I have had. With comfort foods being the dishes most people want in the fall/winter time ... I see myself reaching for this more so when I'm out of ideas and want something different and  "easy" (meaning I don't have to calculate points for it and figure out serving sizes).

 

Just skimming some of the other recipes I'm looking forward to giving them a shot. I'm sure this will become one of my "go to" cookbooks when I'm feeling a little stumped in the cooking department.

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

Stuffed cabbage has been a dish I’ve eaten since a child. It’s a family recipe and my mother is really the only one in our family that recreates my grandmother’s dish. My grandma was Polish and made the best golumpki … and my mother makes hands down THE best (so good, I won’t order them from a restaurant because I find I’m usually let down). Depending on what you put on them, they can be in a tomato sauce, plain … or as my mother makes them with crushed/diced tomatoes over the top.

I purchased a head of cabbage from one of my local grocery stores with truthfully, no real meal in mind. After jogging my memory to try to develop a meal plan … I decided to, why not take my mom’s recipe and transform it into a casserole? Same sort of meal, same flavor … but just in an easier (or lazier?) method. The few differences in cooking between my mom’s recipe and the one I make are 1) I had to cook the hamburger before putting into the dish, 2) I seasoned the beef and 3) I sautéed the cabbage down with olive oil instead of just boiling the leaves off.

The dish itself is easier compared to traditional stuffed cabbage, yet I have to admit this is slightly “messier”. The reason I say this is because the rolled version everything is contained within its cabbage wrap and if serving hot, the first few slices may crumble on its way to the plate.  The first 2 slices out of the pan are slightly troublesome unless you allow the dish to cool.

Potential crumbling aside … this is a delicious dish and one I will undoubtedly make again real soon.

Serves 8. 6 Points Plus.

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ pound uncooked lean 94% ground beef
• 2 ½ pound cabbage, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cups cooked white rice
• 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp McCormick Montreal Steak seasoning
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Non-stick cooking spray

Cook 3 cups of white rice (I use a rice cooker which makes it easier). Or you can also use microwavable frozen white rice. Season rice with salt and a little bit of pepper.

In a medium non-stick pan, add hamburger, onion, and 1 tablespoon of McCormick Steak Seasoning.  Cook over medium high heat until hamburger is crumbled and browned.

Combine hamburger and rice and toss until well combined.

Chop cabbage into chunks. Once all chopped add 2 tsp olive oil to the bottom of a large pot. Add in raw cabbage and cook over medium-high heat until cabbage is wilted down. Season cabbage with salt and pepper.

Spray the bottom of a casserole or a roasting pan. Layer half of the cabbage onto the bottom of the pan., then top with the rice and hamburger mixture, follow-up by topping with the remaining cabbage.

Sprinkle a little black pepper over the top of the cabbage and top with can of diced tomatoes (juice and all).

Cover pan with tinfoil and bake 25 minutes. Remove tinfoil and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Polish Potato Pancakes

Polish Potato Pancakes are one of my favorite “comfort foods” but they’re definitely one of those foods I only have once in a blue moon.  My grandmother made these often when I was a kid and as the tradition goes, my mother made these throughout my childhood into adulthood once in a while.

They’re actually quite easy to make, meaning the ingredients needed are very few, but the grating of the potatoes takes effort. Typically two potatoes in, my arm is sore and I’m wondering what I got myself into (haha).  There are many different graters on the market but the one I use is my grandmother’s old school potato grater (which I admit are hard to find, but can be found if you search for them), which essentially pulverizes the potatoes into little starchy potato “clouds”. While it pulverizes the potato I have to be VERY careful to not let it nick my hand because it’s not a pretty sight if it does.

These can be enjoyed any which way you like. Plain, with sour cream, or my absolute favorite way: with ketchup!

While I did calculate the points plus values for these, I was able to do so by measuring the oil I used in the beginning and measuring the oil I had leftover at the end. I assumed the oil that wasn’t present was absorbed into the end product.

Serves 10. 6 Points Plus per serving. (Serving size varies based on the amount made – I was able to make 20 pancakes making a serving 2 pancakes).

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds peeled potatoes
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• Salt, to taste

Place a grater over a large bowl and grate potatoes. Feel free to grate to your desired consistency. I prefer the old style grater which pulverizes the potato into a pillowy substance.

Place a skillet with ½ cup vegetable oil over medium heat.

Strain some liquid from your potato mixture. When the potatoes are grated they let off water, using a gentle hand allow the water to strain from it but do not push the liquid out of the potatoes because you want it to retain some moisture.

Combine egg, baking powder and ½ cup of flour into mixture. Combine, then add in the remaining ½ cup. You want the mixture to be loose but thick.

Using a heaping tablespoon, spoon the mixture into the hot oil and allow cooking until lightly golden on one side, flipping and cooking on the other.  Flip the pancakes over to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes per cooked side.  I find the pancakes need to be cooked additionally on each side before removing from the pan otherwise the inner pancake is raw and gummy.

When cooked, remove from the oil and set on a paper towel lined tray. Sprinkle with salt.

Continue cooking until all batter is used.

Turkey Sausage Stuffing

Stuffing is one of those foods that I look forward to on Thanksgiving. Since it’s my favorite dish and since I’ve been told in the past I make a pretty mean stuffing … I was tasked with making the dish again this year.  In years past I’ve used boxed stuffing (just the plain dried bread pieces) and I’ve also used homemade cornbread, etc. My personal favorite has been the cornbread turkey stuffing, but since my mother isn’t a huge fan of it … I decided to try a different route this year to make all happy.

The stuffing turned out quite well. It was delicious, meaty, filled with delicious filling and spiced just perfectly. As mentioned previously I’d have loved it a whole lot more if it were a cornbread variety … but maybe next time!

12 servings. 4 Points Plus Values. ½ cup serving.

Ingredients:

• 17 slices Light Italian bread (I used Market Basket store brand), dried
• 16 oz Jennie-O Turkey Breakfast Sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 tbsp Smart Balance Light Butter
• 4 cups fat free chicken broth
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ¾ tsp salt
• 7 tsp salt free Bell’s Seasoning (I enjoy a bold stuffing flavor, feel free to cut this into 1/3’s and taste testing to your liking)

The day before set the bread out to dry, making sure to flip each slice over halfway through the drying cycle. You can speed this process up by putting it into the oven to dry up – but be careful as it can burn.  I found a good 12-hours and it was perfectly dry.

Cut dried bread into smaller cubes. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat melt the butter. Once melted add in the chopped onions and celery. Stirring frequently, cook until the onions and celery are translucent. Transfer cooked mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Using the same skillet, cook the turkey breakfast sausage over medium high heat. Break up sausage into bite sized pieces as the meat cooks.  The sausage will release some liquid; make sure to drain the liquid off to help get some searing on the sausage bits.

Add the onion and celery mixture back into the pan, toss to combine. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper and half the Bell’s seasoning. Stir to combine, then begin adding in large handfuls of the dried bread pieces - incorporating with the meat and vegetable mixture.

In ½ cup measurements, pour the liquid over the stuffing mixture and stir to combine until all ingredients are incorporated.

Sprinkle with remaining Bell’s seasoning, stirring to combine.

Transfer stuffing mixture to a non-stick casserole dish. Bake until the top is crisped – roughly 20-25 minutes.

Sheppard’s Pie

Sheppard’s Pie is a dish I grew up eating. I know there are many different ways to make it … but like many of the dishes I’ve grown up eating, I’ve adapted this recipe along the lines of how my mother made it. That is only cutting a few corners to make it “lighter” but still have that same classic Sheppard’s pie flavor I remember from growing up. This is actually a really simple and easy dish to throw together; it can even be assembled the night before and popped into the oven the next day to heat through.  Since I do like the top of the mashed potatoes to crust up a bit, I do cook it for 5-10 minutes longer.

Serves 8.  8 Points Plus Values/serving.

Ingredients:

-          1 ¾ lb 93% lean ground beef

-          2 ¾ lb potatoes, peeled and chunked

-          1 medium onion, diced

-          ½ cup skim milk

-          1 tsp minced garlic

-          1 tsp McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

-          1 ½ tsp salt, divided

-          1 ½ tsp black pepper, divided

-          1 ½ tsp Imperial margarine

-          14 oz. Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream Styled, No Salt Added

-          14 oz. canned corn, no salt added, drained

Fill a large pan with water, season with salt and place onto medium high heat. Add peeled, chunked potatoes to water and allow water to come to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender.

In a nonstick skillet, add ground beef, onions and garlic. Break up beef as it cooks, season with McCormick Steak Seasoning, salt and pepper.  When beef is cooked through strain of any excess water/fat.

When potatoes are fork tender, strain and return potatoes back to the pot. Season with remaining salt and pepper, add in 1 tablespoon margarine and milk. Mash until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large casserole dish, layer beef and onion mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle meat with strained corn kernels, then top with canned cream style corn. Gently begin to pile mashed potatoes onto the mixture. I find it’s easier to add it in “glops” of mashed potatoes and fill in any holes as you go. If you try to smooth the mixture before all potatoes are added, the creamed corn will just move along with it.

One all mashed potatoes are in place, dice up remaining ½ tbsp margarine and add chunks over the top of the mashed potatoes.

Place assembled sheppard’s pie into preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes.

Once cooked, allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into 8 equal sized pieces.

Stuffed Peppers

Growing up my mother made THE best stuffed peppers (she still does).  She makes them the way my grandmother made them which also means they’re a family favorite. I’ve since learned how to make them and since becoming a Weight Watcher I’ve changed the recipe up just a tad (really only changing the ground beef and the choice of sauce) to make it a bit more point friendly.  The flavor is still there, it’s still reminiscent of my mother’s stuffed peppers and better yet she has even given them the stamp of approval!

As I got older, I realized that stuffed peppers can and are made in a wide range of ways. Bake, boil, par-boil, etc. Ingredients are plentiful and widely different.  You name it, it’s done.  But I will say, I’ve tried stuffed pepper recipes which are baked and par-boiled … but this way has always stolen my heart and taste buds. Perhaps that’s just because of how I’m used to having them but they’re perfect.

These can be eaten plain, as they are … but I do enjoy them with a little bit of ketchup on them. Again, childhood thing and it’s something I’ve never outgrown.  Another great thing about these is you can increase or shrink the recipe to however many peppers you’re aiming to make.  I’ve made 6 which was dinner for 3 individuals back-to-back, and then I’ve made 12 because we were having dinner guests.

I will point out my favorite way to have the peppers is with a tried and true green bell pepper. I feel it brings out more of the meat flavor and holds up during the boiling process a bit better.  I’ve also switched out my choice of pasta sauce using either canned (when making a smaller batch) or jarred when making more than 6.

Serves 6. Serving size 1 stuffed pepper. 10 points plus values.

Ingredients:

-          6 Medium Bell Peppers (red or green – just try to keep them around the same size)

-          1 large onion, chopped

-          1 ½ lbs 93% lean ground beef, raw

-          1 ½ cups uncooked white rice (I prefer Goya Golden Canilla I find the rice keeps shape and doesn’t mush up but any white rice will do)

-          1 can Hunts Pasta Sauce – Chunky Vegetable

-          1 ½ tsp salt

-          1 1/2 tsp black pepper

-          Water

Wash peppers and cut to remove the stems and inner seeds. You can either take off the whole top, or cut a hole into it. Make sure to leave the pepper intact – like a bowl.

In a large bowl combine raw ground beef, rice, onion, salt and black pepper. Mix to combine (I use my hands).  Add in about ½ can of sauce and combine until well incorporated throughout the meat and rice mixture.

Stuff each pepper with equal amounts of meat. It’s okay if the peppers have a rounded top to them. Place the peppers into a deep pan that has a matching lid.

Fill the pan with water so the peppers are covered roughly ½ way up the sides.  Pour remaining sauce over the top of the peppers and into the water.

Place the pan over a medium flame until water begins a mild boil.  Cover, lower flame to medium-low.  Cook for approximately 40-45 minutes.  You can test if it’s done by making sure the rice granules are cooked through. If not done after 45 minutes, cook for 5-minutes longer.

Trashy Taco Soup

I first stumbled upon this recipe after reading over a post on Emily Noel’s blog.  My initial thought was what on earth is this trashy taco soup?  After reading over the general gist of the recipe (see original recipe here), I decided to throw the recipe into Recipe Builder to see how many points a serving would be. I tend to be a bigger fan of stews and since this was said to be on the thicker side I was all on board.  Going through the ingredients I had on hand, I decided I would switch the recipe up just a tad and I have to say, I LOVED the end result.  It was filling, delicious and the possibilities are undoubtedly endless because it can be switched up to cater to any craving one may be having.  Here’s how I switched up mine just a bit:

Serves 8. 1 cup serving. 6 points plus values.

Ingredients:

-          1 pound 93% lean ground turkey (or if you prefer 93% ground beef)

-          1 medium onion, diced

-          1 tablespoon minced garlic

-          14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes

-          10 oz. Rotel diced tomatoes & green chiles – original

-          15 oz. canned black beans, drained and rinsed

-          15 oz. canned small red beans, drained and rinsed

-          15 oz canned corn, no salt added

-          15 oz. canned tomato sauce

-          1 envelope McCormick Taco Seasoning

-          1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch  dip

-          Trader Joe’s 21 Season Salute (or hamburger seasoning) - Optional

In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook together your ground meat, onion and garlic.  Season with 21 Season Salute or hamburger seasoning (if wanted).  Cook until onions are translucent and ground meat is cooked completely.

Transfer meat mixture to a Crock pot (or if you wish to cook it on the stove, transfer your meat to a soup pot).  Add in beans, Ro-tel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, black beans, red beans, corn, tomato sauce, ranch seasoning, and taco seasoning.  Mix together ingredients.

Set crock pot onto low, cover and cook for 6-8 hours.  45 minutes before serving I turned the crock pot off to allow the mixture to cool and thicken up just a tad.

Hamburger Steaks with Onion Gravy

I had been craving this meal for over a week and finally decided to make it for Sunday dinner.  Tasty, healthy, comfort food at its finest.  It may not be the prettiest dish, but the flavors are so prominent and layered perfectly. It’s a hats off to Salisbury steak with a slight twist.  This can be paired alongside any side dish – I chose to do yellow skinned mashed potatoes with frozen green beans.

Serves 8 – 4 Points Plus per serving.

Ingredients:

-          1 ½ pounds 93% lean ground beef

-          1 egg

-          ¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbs

-          2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

-          ~1 teaspoon black pepper

-          ~1 teaspoon salt

-          1 tablespoon garlic powder

-          2 teaspoons McCormick Onion & Herb seasoning

-          1 tablespoon McCormick Hamburger seasoning

-          1 medium/large sweet onion, sliced

-          1 tablespoon olive oil

-          2 tablespoons white flour

-          1 ½ cups low sodium beef broth

Mix hamburger, bread crumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion & herb seasoning, and hamburger seasoning in a large bowl. Mix until well combined, then section off hamburgers into 8 equal pieces.  Roll into balls, then flatten slightly into hamburger shape – roughly 1 to 1 ½ inches thick.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add in the tablespoon of olive oil and swirl in the pan to evenly coat.  When the oil is heated, add in the hamburger patties and let them begin to cook.  Do not move the patties as they will fall apart.  Cooking times may vary but cook roughly 5 minutes on the first side before flipping.  You are looking to have a nice browned outside.

After flipping add in the sliced onions on top of the browned side of the burgers.  Let the burgers get a bit of a crust before moving around in the pan to incorporate the onions.

Sprinkle in the 2 tablespoons of flour and let the flour cook for a minute with the onions to get rid of any harsh flavoring.

Add in half of the beef broth into the pan, stirring to combine.  The sauce will begin to thicken – as it thickens add in the remaining beef broth and stir all to combine.  Let simmer for a few minutes then remove from the flame.

Dinner: Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage & Beer Battered Onion Rings

I think it’s evident from some of my dinner and food finds posts that I love Trader Joe’s.  They offer an array of comfort foods which are point friendly and also delicious.  One day dinner was going to be a staple “comfort food” sausage sandwiches!

I heated up the Trader Joe’s Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage in the oven along with the Trader Joe’s Melange & Trois mixed red, yellow and green peppers.  The sausages are delicious – a nice smooth garlic flavor, without being overbearing.  Slapped on a hot dog roll with the peppers, a little mustard and ketchup you’d never know you’re eating a chicken sausage (well, you can tell it’s not pork because it doesn’t give you that immediate heavy feeling in your stomach).  It’s also not extremely fatty as pork sausages are.  They are only 3 points plus values for one, plus 2 points plus values for the hot dog bun.

A while back, I picked up a bag of Trader Joe’s Beer Battered Onion Rings and my boyfriend and I have been in love since.  They are quite delicious, sweet and quite possibly THE best frozen onion rings I have ever had.  Onion rings are one of my favorite fried treats (particularly when at the beach) and these are just money.  They’re nicely battered, they’re sweet and they do get nice and crispy in the oven – because soggy onion rings are just a big yuck!  These are straight out delicious. These are so good we typically always have a bag in the freezer as a quick side to a meal.  3 ounces is only 5 points plus values.

Quite a delicious, filling AND simple meal!

QUESTION:

What is one of your favorite simple meals to pick up and make from Trader Joe’s?

Dinner: Homemade Meatballs & Sauce on fettuccine

I ended up making a large family-style dinner a couple weeks ago.  I had originally planned to make this meal on Sunday - but my brother, sister-in-law, niece & nephew came down on Saturday so I decided to make this then.  I’ve made sauce a number of times in the past but never made my own meatballs.  I’ve always helped my mother make her meatballs when I was younger so I had a general idea of what I needed.  Because I’m a Weight Watchers member I measured my ingredients out and converted them into PointsPlus Values so I’d know how many points my dinner would be.  Overall – I’d say the meatballs came out quite well.  Next time I’d add a little more garlic and a hair more parsley.  How about my sauce? Perfect!

Here’s my recipe:

Serves 10. 6 Points Plus per serving. 3 Meatballs & roughly 1/2 cup sauce per serving.
Ingredients:

1 ¼ pound lean (93%) ground beef
1 ¼ pound lean ground pork
½ cup wheat Italian breadcrumbs
2 large eggs (beaten)
3/4 cup reduced-fat parmesan cheese (1/2 cup into the meatballs, the other half goes in the sauce)
Small handful fresh Parsley
~4 tablespoons minced garlic (2 tablespoons in sauce, the other half in the meatballs)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup skim milk
3 large cans crushed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes (with garlic) - Drained
Large onion (cut in half)
Dried Italian seasoning
Black pepper
Sea Salt
Crushed red pepper flakes
Garlic powder


Instructions:

Mix the ground beef, pork, eggs, parsley, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, milk together in a bowl.  Season with some black pepper, salt, Italian seasoning (I added extra even though the breadcrumbs were already seasoned). Season appropriately to obtain the smell you’d want.

Form 30 balls, rolling the meat mixture in your hands until perfectly round. Place onto a non-stick baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  Cooking time may vary based on your oven.  Make sure to shake the pan halfway through to turn the meatballs.

In a large sauce pan, add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat through.  Add garlic and halved onion.  Let the flavors marinate then add in cans of crushed tomatoes, can of diced tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes.  Let simmer.

When meatballs are done cooking – add to the sauce. Cover and let simmer for 1-2 hours on medium-low.

A serving of 3-meatballs with sauce was 6 PointsPlus values.  I ate this with 1 cup of whole grain fettuccine making it an 11 PointsPlus dinner.