Cream of Broccoli Soup

From Weight Watchers



Ingredients:
1 medium uncooked onion(s), chopped
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
2 pound(s) uncooked broccoli, tough ends removed, stems and florets chopped
4 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1 cup(s) fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Directions:
Combine onion and garlic in a 2-quart saucepan with 1/4 cup of water. Simmer until onion is soft, about 10 minutes; spoon vegetables into a large pot.

Add broccoli and broth to pot; bring to a boil over high heat. Once soup boils, reduce heat and simmer until broccoli is soft but still green, about 8 minutes. Do not cover pot while broccoli is cooking or it will turn gray.

Remove soup from heat; puree until smooth in batches in a blender (be careful not to splatter hot liquid) or puree in pot using an immersion blender. Add evaporated milk and hot pepper sauce to soup; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Comments:
I read some of the reviews on this recipe before making it so I also made some adjustments to the original recipe. I added some cornstarch to thicken it. Added cheese. Added a bunch of Penzey's "Mural of Flavor" spice blend. It was ok, but still not the best. I'm not really a cream of broccoli fan anyway, but I don't know that I'd try this again.

Rice, Black Bean, and Corn Salad

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 cup cold cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked corn kernals
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp EVOO
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the rice, corn, bell pepper, celery, beans, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lime juice, oil, and salt. Pour over the rice mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, until the flavors are blended, at least 1 hour.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 2

Comments:
I really liked this. I had to skip the jalapeno since the ones I had in the fridge jumped the shark on me before I could make this. Adam wasn't too enthused - he thought it was weird that it was cold. I liked the mix of flavors and the crunch the pepper and celery added. Might try it with red pepper too to add some more color contrast. I'd also probably up the ratio of black beans - I love them and there didn't seem to be enough of them.

Sausage and Broccoli Risotto

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
3 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine (or more chicken broth)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage
1/2 bunch broccoli, rinsed and chopped

Directions:
1. To make the risotto, bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and keep at a simmer.

2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the rice and cook until the outer shell is lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the wine, pepper, and 1/2 cup of the broth and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until it is absorbed before adding more, until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy. The cooking time from the first addition of broth should be 20-24 minutes. Stir in the parsley.

4. Meanwhile, spray a nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli; cover and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir the sausage and broccoli into the risotto.

Serves 6. POINTS Value per serving: 6

Comments:
This was good. Adam wanted more sausage though. I thought it was fine as it was. That always seems to be the case. Might try this again with other meats. Risotto is kind of time-consuming to make and I was surprised that this was good even without the traditional handful of parmesan cheese at the end.

Apple-Cranberry Crisp

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
4 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp cold unsalted butter
6 medium Empire apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a small bowl, combine oats, 2 tbsp brown sugar, and flour; with two knives or your fingers, work in the butter until mixture is combined and crumbly.

In a large bowl, combine apples, cranberries, remaining 2 tbsp brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg; toss to combine. Spoon into the pan; sprinkle with oats mixture.

Bake until filling is bubbly and top is golden brown, about 35-40 minutes.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 3

Comments:


This was really good, although I was not such a fan of the oat topping. I would have preferred a more traditional crisp topping. The tart cranberries and apples went very well together. The other issue was there was a lot of liquid on the bottom of the dish. But that didn't really make a difference in the taste - just have to be sure to get it out of the dish pretty quickly or it would get soggy.

Cheese-Stuffed Manicotti

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5oz) can tomato puree
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped parsley
12 manicotti shells, cooked

Directions:
1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute the garlic until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree, oregano, basil, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350; spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, and parsley. Fill the manicotti shells with the cheese mixture; place in the baking dish. Pour sauce over shells. Bake until browned and bubbling, 30-40 minutes.

Serves 6. POINTS Value per serving: 8

Comments:
I didn't get 12 shell from this filling - I got 9. So either I overfilled or they want half the shell empty.

In any case, Adam thought the sauce was bland - and it is - it's just tomato and some spices. He wanted meat in it, which was no surprise to me at all. The manicotti itself was good. Just a little bored with the sauce.

Creole Poached Chicken Breasts

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1/2 carrot, chopped
1 (14.5oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp parsley
1 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne
4 (4oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; saute the onions, pepper, celery, and carrot until tender, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, parsley, thyme, salt, and cayenne; add the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and poach, partially covered, until the chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.

2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a platter. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, until reduced by half, 4-5 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 3

Comments:
I omitted the green pepper in this one. I just have to be a mood for green pepper - they tend to overpower other flavors - and I wasn't when I made this. Anyway, Adam liked this one - without the sauce. I liked it with the sauce. The leftovers are good as well.

Vietnamese Turkey (Chicken) Wraps

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red chile paste
1/4 cup water
2 carrots, cut into matchstick size pieces
1 cucumber, seeded and cut into matchstick size pieces
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp peanut oil
10 oz boneless, skinless turkey breast, cut into thin strips
2 cups hot cooked rice
2 heads Boston lettuce, cleaned and separated into leaves
1/2 cup whole mint leaves
1/2 cup whole cilantro leaves
3 tbsp unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions:
1. To prepare the dipping sauce, in a small serving bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp of the fish sauce, the lime juice, sugar, and chile paste with the water; set aside.

2. In a medium nonreactive bowl, combine the carrots, cucumber, onion, and vinegar; let stand 20 minutes. Drain, discarding the vinegar, and place in a medium serving bowl.

3. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat the oil. Saute the turkey until no longer pink, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining tbsp fish sauce and place in a medium serving bowl.

4. To assemble a wrap, spoon about a tbsp each of the rice, turkey, and cucumber-carrot mixture into a lettuce leaf; top with 1-2 mint and cilantro leaves, sprinkle with peanuts and fold the lettuce leaf over to enclose the filling. Dip into the sauce.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 7

Comments:
I skipped the fish paste because that just sounds gross. Used chicken rather than turkey, iceberg instead of Boston, but kept everything else pretty much the same. I was not too impressed. I ate one lettuce wrap and then gave up on it - they were too messy! I ate the chicken with some rice and the dipping sauce. That was really good.

Creamy Polenta with Sauteed Vegetables

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
8 large shiitake mushrooms (6 oz), stemmed and sliced
1 10oz package frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp + 1/2 tsp salt
4 cups water
1 cup instant polenta
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the peas and cook 1 minute. Add the vermouth, bring to a boil, and cook until it reduces slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in the pepper and 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, to prepare the polenta, combine the water and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, gradually add the polenta in a slow, steady stream; reduce the heat and cook, stirring, until thick but not stiff, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan.

3. Divide the polenta on each of 4 serving plates and top with the vegetable mixture.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 5

Comments:
In my opinion, mushrooms and peas do not "sauteed vegetables" make. Boring! So I added a few things to this one. I did use mushrooms (which I picked out of my serving) and used fresh sugar snap peas rather than frozen. I also threw in a small zucchini, a small yellow squash, a red and a green pepper, and some broccoli. Now THAT is a vegetable mixture.

Of course, all this revamping meant I had to cook the veggies longer. I actually pre-cooked the broccoli a little. I also used chicken stock rather than vermouth. All in all, I think it turned out pretty well for my altering the recipe so drastically. And it was all vegetables, so it's not like it could be that much worse for you than the original recipe...

(Fettuccine) with Chicken and Broccoli (Rabe)

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 bunch broccoli rabe, cleaned and chopped
6 oz spinach fettuccine
4 tsp olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 head radicchio, shredded
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the broccoli rabe 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. In the boiling water, cook the fettuccine according to package directions. Drain.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp of the oil. Add the chicken, salt, oregano, and red pepper and saute until cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to plates.

3. In the skillet, heat the remaining 2 tsp oil. Saute the onion and garlic until tender, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the broccoli rabe and radicchio; cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add the fettuccine, the sprinkle with the cheese and black pepper. Serve topped with the chicken and sprinkled with the basil.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 7

Comments:
So, I had to do some improvising on this one. I can never find broccoli rabe at the grocery store so I end up using plain old broccoli. I also couldn't find radicchio, but I did find a bagged mix of baby spinach, radicchio, and romaine so I figured that was kind of close. I skipped the basil, mostly because I forgot to get it. Also, I used the awesome garlic olive oil again instead of oil + garlic.

Anyway. This was very good. Nice mix of flavors and textures. The greens kind of melt into the background so they're not anything to worry about. I'd have this again.

Spanish Tortilla

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium potatoes, cooked and diced
10oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup egg substitute
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 ground nutmeg

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the onions until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, spinach, egg substitute, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, until set and browned on bottom, about 10-15 minutes.
Loosen the edges with a knife and invert onto a warm platter, or serve directly from the skillet.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 2

Comments:
Simple, basic, tasty. Plus it's meatless and has potatoes. That's always good in my book. I actually used real garlic this time too since I needed it for something else later this week anyway. Wow, that stuff is strong - makes the whole house smell like an Italian restaurant. We'll see how it treats Adam's digestive system. :)

Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/2 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/2 cup cornflakes, crushed
3 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 pounds chicken (skinless)
4 tsp canola oil

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Pour the buttermilk into a large shallow bowl. On a sheet of wax paper, combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, salt, and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, the dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil. Bake 30 minutes, the turn the chicken over. Bake until cooked through, 15-20 minutes longer.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 5

Comments:
A few edits - I added some Red Hot to the buttermilk, although it didn't seem to come through in the end product. I also used boneless, skinless breasts so I reduced the overall cooking time - I baked 20 minutes, turned, then another 10. I also skipped the oil step and just sprayed the breasts with cooking spray before baking.

These were good. A little bland - could use some additional spicing up in the breading, but I think we'll definitely try these again. But I really need to keep the mental note to not buy frozen broccoli. It's always a rip off. There were two florets in the entire package. Boo. The potatoes were good though - new potatoes quartered with a glug of Tuscan Blend olive oil, a dump of Italian seasoning, some salt and pepper. Yum.

Middle Eastern Salad Wraps

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp plain fat-free yogurt (I used Greek)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp EVOO
1 small garlic clove, minced (I just used a garlic olive oil)
pinch salt
2 tbsp water
2 tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 small onion, thinly sliced
8 tortillas

Directions:
1. To prepare the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic, and salt with the water.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint, and onion. Drizzle with the dressing; toss to coat.

3. To assemble the wraps, soften the tortillas according to package directions. Divide the salad among the tortillas. Fold up the bottom edge of each tortilla, then the left and right sides to enclose the filling.

Serves 4 (2 wraps each). POINTS Value per serving: 4

Comments:
I admit, I didn't eat this. Adam had picked the recipe and it didn't appeal to me at all. Plus, I had filled up on fresh strawberries from our local farm stand. (Eee! I love strawberry season!)

Adam said this was very good. I'll take his word for it. The dressing is kind of runny so perhaps halve that part unless you like runny wraps.

Cheddar-Stuffed Buffalo (or Beefalo) Burgers

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 pound ground buffalo meat
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 English muffins, split
4 romaine lettuce leaves, trimmed
4 tomato slices

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the buffalo, onion, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine. Divide and shape into 4 balls. With your finger make a deep indentation into each ball. Fill each hole with 2 tbsp of the cheese. Pinch the meat closed to cover the cheese and shape each ball into a 3/4-inch thick patty.

2. Toast the English muffins. Spray a nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and heat over medium-high heat. Cook burgers 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare.

3. Place the English muffin bottoms on 4 plates. Top each with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and a burger. Place the muffin tops on each burger.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 6

Comments:
I used BEEFalo rather than buffalo. There's this great place down past FDL, Beefalo Bill's, that has fresh, natural meats for a pretty reasonable rate.

These burgers are pretty basic. But they are tasty. The romaine we had was, shall we say, past its prime, so we added some pickles instead. I also used the leftover cheese on top of the burger for some extra cheesyness.

Greek Pizza

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1/3 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 pound pizza dough at room temperature

Directions:
1. Arrange one rack on the bottom rung of the oven. Preheat oven to 450.

2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 6 minutes. If the onion seems to dry, add 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring frequently, until the water has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until the flavors are blended, about 3 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta, feta, dill, scallions, and pepper until well blended.

3. Sprinkle a work surface lightly with flour. Turn the dough onto the surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces. Knead each piece lightly, then with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each into a 12-inch circle. Transfer one circle of dough to a nonstick pizza pan or baking sheet and gently pull the dough back to a 12-inch circle.

4. Spoon the spinach mixture on the dough, spreading the mixture to 1 inch from the edge. Brush the edge with water. Place the second circle of dough on top and crimp the edges to seal. Cut 4 slashes ontop. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven until the filling is hot and the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.

Serves 6. POINTS Value per serving: 5

Comments:
I won't be making this one again. I made a few mistakes in the execution (note to self: never, ever buy Roundy's brand pizza dough again) and it seemed to not agree with Adam's digestive system.

Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
3/4 pound ground turkey breast
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 strips turkey bacon
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
1 tomato, cut into 4 slices

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, shallots, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, and pepper. Blend in the cheese. Form into 4 burgers.

2. Heat an indoor ridged grill sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the burgers until cooked through, 6-8 minutes on each side. When you turn the burgers, add the bacon to the grill. Cook until crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. Serve the burgers in th ebuns, with the bacon and tomato slices.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 6

Comments:
These were simple to make, but ended up being pretty bland. I would have thought the cheese would have given the burgers some kind of punch, but I couldn't even taste the cheese. Just tasted like a plain old turkey burger to me.

Grilled Teriyaki Shrimp

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Teriyaki sauce
1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups cooked white rice
4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Directions:
1. Place the shrimp in a large ziploc bag and pour in 1/4 cup of the teriyaki sauce. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air; turn to coat the shrimp. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 2 hours.

2. Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray. If using wooden skewers, soak 8 skewers in cold water. Preheat the grill.

3. Drain and discard the marinade. Alternately thread the shrimp, pineapple, and peppers on 8 wooden or metal skewers. Grill the kebabs 5 inches from the heat, turning frequently, until the shrimp are cooked through, 12-15 minutes. Serve over the rice, sprinkled with the remaining 2 tbsp teriyaki marinade and the scallions.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 8

Comments:
Fabian Seafood was in our area this morning so we picked up some super fresh shrimp for tonight's dinner. Only downside - these were not deveined, so Adam got down with the shrimp poo this afternoon. :) Better him than me.

Anywho, fairly easy prep, although the original recipe says to finely chop the pepper, which is obviously not a good idea if you're wanting to thread them on skewers. It also wants you to use their teriyaki sauce (a recipe in the same book) but I lazed out and just used bottled stuff.

I didn't eat the shrimp, but Adam proclaimed it great. I had the veggies and rice, which were also very good.

Greek Meatballs (Keftedes)

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
5 oz lean ground pork
5 oz lean ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small eggplant, peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 egg
3 tbsp breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, lightly combine all the ingredients except the tomatoes. Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs, about 2 inches each.

2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray; set over medium heat. Cook the meatballs, turning as needed, until well browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 3 (meatballs/sauce only - doesn't include pasta/rice)

Comments:
These were very good. I used all beef instead of a mix with pork and served them over gnocchi instead of pasta or rice. There's so much going on in these meatballs that I was afraid they'd fall apart during the browning process. They held up pretty well. I also used a 14.5 oz can of tomatoes since Adam never really likes the sauce part anyway. Threw in a little additional water and it worked out fine.

Southwestern Salmon

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
dash hot red pepper sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2-3/4 pound salmon steak
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

Directions:
1. In a food processor, combine the cilantro, lime juice, cumin, salt, pepper sauce, and water; puree. Transfer to a large zip-top plastic bag; add the salmon. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air; turn to coat the salmon. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray a 9x9 baking dish with nonstick spray. Arrange the bell peppers in a single layer in the pan. Bake, turning once, 20 minutes.

3. Drain the salmon; discard the marinade. Place the salmon ono top of the peppers. Bake until the fish is just opaque in the center, 5-6 minutes per side.

Serves 2. POINTS Value per serving: 6

Comments:
I had actually gotten cilantro for this since I had no intention of eating it. But it got bumped and the cilantro had gone too far downhill to use. So I skipped the food processor step and just threw the spices, lime, hot sauce, and water in a ziploc and marinated the salmon that way.

Adam had little to say. I asked if it was good, he said yes. No elaboration. Men...

Cavatelli with Broccoli

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 cups cavatelli or rotelle
4 tsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli; cook, stirring, until tender-crisp, 3-4 minutes. Add the sauteed vegetables, basil, and salt to the pasta. Toss, adding just enough of the pasta water to moisten. Sprinkle with the cheese and pepper.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 5

Comments:
I used Barilla's teeny tiny fusili that had been sitting in the cupboard forever. I also used garlic-infused olive oil so I skipped the first step. In this particular case, you do really need the extra pasta water to keep things from drying out. Overall, great tasting result without a lot of work.