Years and years ago, I worked at a roofing company. We had an amazing great office crew! We had potluck lunches from time to time with fabulous dishes and often shared the recipes. As a result of one of those recipe swaps, I’ve been making this soup for more than 25 years!
So, do you need a meatless Monday dinner? A great soup recipe for that last (we hope) big cold snap before spring? A way to use up some broccoli from your fridge? Need more veggies in your life? I’ve got you covered! This is a creamy soup that comes together quickly. It’s great for a weeknight meal. This recipe can be easily doubled, tripled, quadrupled – you get the idea — to feed a crowd. And if you overestimate, it also freezes well. –Kathy
Golden Broccoli Cheese Soup
2 T. butter
¼ c. water
1 (10 oz.) pkg frozen corn
½ c. shredded carrots (or finely chopped)
¼ c. finely chopped onion
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 c. milk
1 c. chopped broccoli, cooked crisp tender
2 (10.5 oz.) cans Cream of Potato Soup
½ c. shredded mozzarella
1 c. shredded cheddar
In a large sauce pan or soup pot, combine butter, water, corn, carrots, onion and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cream of potato soup, milk, broccoli and cheeses. Stir to combine well. Bring to simmer over low heat, stirring often. Taste for seasoning. Serve and enjoy!
We ranch in Utah, so as you might imagine, we’re all about the beef. I’m always looking for creative ways to put ground beef to use. And let’s face it – for any of us, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to dinner ideas. This twist on a classic is the perfect remedy. Huge hit at our table full of boys! ~Kathy
Ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger
½ c. onion, chopped fine
1 pkg. taco seasoning
8 oz. tomato sauce
¼ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. garlic powder
4 oz. diced green chilies (I use mild)
1 can (15 oz.) refried beans
1 c. your favorite salsa
1/3 c. Mexican table cream (or substitute heavy cream)
2 c. Colby jack cheese, shredded
12 oz. lasagna noodles
Non-stick cooking spray
Instructions:
In a large skillet, cook together hamburger and chopped onion. Drain grease. Return to skillet.
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions and set aside. Spray 9×13” deep pan with non-stick spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Sprinkle taco seasoning over ground beef, add tomato sauce, cumin, garlic powder, green chilies and refried beans over medium low heat. Stir together to combine and heat through.
Start assembling lasagna by adding about 1/3 c. of ground beef mixture into bottom of pan. Add 3 or 4 noodles to begin first layer. Divide meat mixture into thirds, using part for each layer. Add meat mixture on top of noodles, spreading into an even layer. Top with 1/3 of salsa, table cream and shredded cheese, drizzling evenly over the layer. Continue with two additional layers, ending with salsa, table cream and shredded cheese.
Cover with foil (sprayed with non-stick spray if it’s touching cheese layer). Bake for 25 – 30 minutes covered, then an additional 10 – 15 minutes uncovered, until bubbly and heated through.
This cashew chicken is, dare I say it, better than take-out. Made with simple, easily-accessible ingredients and ready in minutes, it’s great for a weeknight or a special meal. If you love cashews, like I do, you will love this easy take-out fake-out. ~Erin
1 ½ lb. chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Black pepper
3 T. cornstarch
2 Tablespoon olive or avocado oil
¼ c. low-sodium soy sauce
½ cup chicken broth or prepared bullion
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tablespoons)
2 T. brown sugar, packed
2 T. hoisin sauce
1 tsp. Sesame oil
1 c. roasted, salted cashews
Green onions, sliced
Cooked rice for serving
Combine salt, pepper, and cornstarch in a gallon size baggie. Toss the chicken in the cornstarch mixture until evenly coated.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, chicken broth, garlic, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil; set aside.
Add olive oil or avocado oil to a large, high sided nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until golden brown on all sides. Do not overcook. It will continue cooking when the sauce is added.
Add the sauce to the pan with the chicken. Add the cashews. Stir until the sauce is thickened. This just takes a couple minutes.
Garnish with sliced green onions. Serve over rice.
This recipe makes 6 – ¾ c. servings. 9-11 points per serving, not counting rice. Click here for the WW points calculator.
I don’t know about you all but I am always looking for something new and different to feed my family for dinner. We love a variety of things at our house. We are eclectic eaters! One of the things we love are jalapeño poppers, so I decided to create a casserole out of one of our favorite flavors. This one is a hearty, flavorful casserole. If your family likes a little spicier, add an extra jalapeño. It’s certainly not the same old, same old boring casserole. You and your family will love it! ~Kathy
6 chicken breasts
2 T. butter, divided
3 medium sized jalapeños, julienned, ribs and seeds removed
3 green onions, chopped
1 (10 1/2 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 T. milk
1 c. Philadelphia Chive and Onion Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
pepper & salt to taste
2 c. cheddar cheese, grated, divided
5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
Grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F.
Dice chicken into 1” pieces. In large skillet, over medium-high heat, place 1T. butter. Brown chicken quickly in skillet, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Remove to plate. Sauté jalapeño and green onion in remaining 1 T. butter until crisp tender.
Place chicken in casserole dish, top with vegetables.
For sauce combine soup, milk, cream cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix in 1 c. of cheddar cheese. Spoon over chicken and vegetables. Top with crumbled bacon.
Bake covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and top with remaining 1 c. of cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
I’m going to admit that’s it’s pretty darned rare that there is leftover steak at my house. However, if I’m smart and plan my meals the way I know I should, I cook a little extra so that I can make this pizza. It’s so easy, so good, and looks like something you’d get at a fancy restaurant (at least the “fancy” restaurants that I go to). The best thing about it is that you can use almost all pre-made ingredients for a quick dinner that your whole family will love. ~Tracy
Ingredients:
4 naan flatbreads
1 T. butter
1 jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce (I use Prego or Classico Light)
In a large saucepan, melt butter. Sauté onions in the melted butter until translucent and just beginning to turn brownish/caramelized. Add spinach and garlic to sautéed onions. Cook just until spinach fully wilts. Add the jar of Alfredo sauce and cook all together until bubbly. Stir in ½ c. of parmesan cheese until incorporated into sauce.
Preheat oven to 425℉. Place naan flatbreads on a large sheet pan or pizza pan. Top each with Alfredo sauce mixture making sure to get equal amounts of onion and spinach on each flatbread. Add an equal portion of steak, approximately ¼ pound to the top of each flatbread. Finish off each pizza with an equal portion of the feta cheese and mozzarella balls (you can always substitute shredded mozzarella).
Bake at 425 until cheese melts and just begins to brown and bubble.
It’s summer and I really can’t be bothered to thaw meat some days. Do you ever feel like that’s too much trouble? I have too many other summery things to do… like take a nap. Ha! On days like that, it’s salad for dinner or a (mostly) meatless dish like this one. If you love mushrooms, you will love this pasta. It’s chock full of meaty baby portabellas, but perfectly balanced with a little bacon in a creamy sauce. After making this a couple times, it hit me that the perfect finisher for this would be some finely diced green onions. So, if you have those in the fridge, throw those on top at the end and finish it with some extra crisp bacon and shredded parm. Perfection! ~Erin
6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped into bite-sized pieces (plus more for serving if desired)
1 lb. uncooked whole wheat linguine
¼ c. reserved pasta water
1 lb. uncooked baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. olive or avocado oil
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 ½ c. fat-free half-and-half
Shredded parmesan and extra cooked bacon, optional – for garnish
Chopped green onions, optional – for garnish
Cook the linguine in salted water, according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of pasta water before draining. Meanwhile, in a large, high-sided skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from the skillet and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside. Carefully clean out remaining bacon grease with paper towels. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and stir and cook until mushrooms are fork-tender (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about a minute). Stir in the flour and stir and cook until no white flour is visible and mushrooms are sizzling – about a minute. Add the bacon back to the skillet. Stir in the fat-free half-and-half and pasta water; bring to a simmer. Simmer and stir until it starts to thicken – about 3 or 4 minutes. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. Add the cooked pasta into the mushroom sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with extra bacon and parmesan if desired (will add to points on WW).
WW info: This recipe makes 8 1 ½-cup servings. Green plan – 8 points; Blue plan – 8 points; Purple plan – 3 points
Wow, what a school-year! Between quarantines and trying to enforce social distancing and masking guidelines, it was a wild ride and this teacher is tired. I will say, this school year was much better than I initially predicted and for that I’m grateful. That being said, I’m soooo ready for summer!
Summer makes me want to cook, but I don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. This quick dinner is just my speed. The sausage is fully cooked so, with minimal prep time, this can be on the table. It makes a lot and the leftovers make a fantastic breakfast with a couple of over-easy eggs. Supper leftovers that can be made into breakfast are the best kind of meals! ~Erin
3 T. oil, divided (I used avocado oil)
Non-stick cooking spray
2 packages (13 oz. each) smoked turkey sausage, thinly sliced (I used Hillshire Farm)
1 medium onion, diced
1 (32 oz.) bag frozen Southern style hash browns
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. Cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chachere’s)
1 (16 oz.) bag tri-color coleslaw mix
Spray a large, high-sided non-stick skillet cooking spray. Add the thinly sliced turkey sausage and cook over medium-high heat until the sausage pieces are brown on both sides. Transfer to a large serving dish. Next add 1 T. oil and reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onions and stir and cook until onion is translucent – a couple minutes; then add garlic and cook about another minute. Add the coleslaw mix and Cajun seasoning and cook and stir until the cabbage is tender, about 4-5 minutes; transfer to the serving dish with the sausage. Lastly, heat the remaining 2 T. of oil over medium-high heat. Add the hash browns in an even layer; cook until fork-tender and browned, flipping every 2-3 minutes. Transfer the hash browns to the serving dish and gently combine with the cabbage and sausage mixture.
WW info: This recipe makes 7 large 2-cup servings. Each serving is 9 points on both Blue and Green plans, and 6 points on the Purple plan.
What’s the food that you can eat multiple times a week without getting tired of it? I think for me it’s any type of pasta. I’m telling myself that this pasta dish is more healthy since it has some vegetables. I’m not sure if that’s reality, but it’s one of my absolute favorite pasta dishes. It has just enough spice to give the flavor an extra boost, but if spiciness isn’t your thing you can always omit the red pepper flakes. Recipes with easy adaptations and adjustments are our favorite around here and we can’t wait to hear from you about how you love this one! ~Tracy
4 T. butter, cut into 1 T. pieces
1 T. sun dried tomato oil (from jar)
3 T. chopped sun dried tomatoes
4 oz. chopped baby bella mushrooms
2 T. minced garlic
¼ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
½ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 ¼ c. milk (I use 1%)
1 cup chicken broth (can use prepared chicken bouillon)
½ c. shredded parmesan cheese (more for topping)
2 packages cheese tortellini (such as Louisa Four Cheese tortellini, 19 oz. bags)
1 cup shredded chicken (I use rotisserie)
½ c. cooked/crumbled pork sausage
2 c. fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
Cook your sausage, drain any excess grease and set aside. Shred your rotisserie chicken while the sausage cooks and set it aside as well.
Begin cooking tortellini according to the package directions. Leave the pasta slightly al dente as it will continue to cook when added to the other ingredients.
In a large skillet, melt 1 T. of butter and 1 T. of the sun dried tomato oil. Sauté the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Add in the sun dried tomatoes and continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes. Add the minced garlic and heat through for another 30-45 seconds. Remove this mixture from the skillet and set it aside.
Add the rest of the butter to the skillet and allow to melt. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Add all dried seasonings and mix together.
Gradually add the chicken broth and milk until the mixture begins to thicken. Slowly stir in the ½ c. parmesan cheese.
Add chicken and sausage to sauce. Stir together and then add the cooked tortellini and the spinach, mushroom, tomato mixture. Stir all together until well mixed and top with a generous helping of parmesan cheese.
WW Info: This recipe makes approximately 10 cups at 13 points each on all three plans.
Are there foods that you wouldn’t touch as a kid that you later realized were actually really tasty? There are several things on that list for me, but one of my adult-discovered favorites is pimento cheese. Looking through random recipes one day, I realized that with the addition of a little spice, pimento cheese had a lot of potential! By adding the jalapenos for just the right kick and using a good quality cheddar cheese, I turned pimento cheese into one of my favorite snacks or lunches. I really think you’ll love it too! ~Tracy
Four Sisters Dish Spicy Pimento Cheese
8 oz. softened cream cheese*
¾ c. mayonnaise (don’t use Miracle Whip)*
1 T. Sriracha sauce
3 T. finely chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. celery salt
¼ tsp. kosher salt
3 T. finely chopped pickled jalapeno
1/3 c. chopped roasted red peppers
2 chopped scallions (using all of white and approx ½ of greens)
1 8 oz. block reduced fat sharp white cheddar, grated (equal to about 4 cups)*
toasted French bread or crackers for serving
In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Sriracha. Stir in onion, garlic, celery salt, and kosher salt. Add the jalapeno, scallions, and red peppers. Stir gently to avoid breaking up the peppers further. Finally, gently stir in the cheddar cheese. Serve on toasted French bread or with crackers. Refrigerate unused portion.
Note: Depending on the level of spiciness you like, you can add more or less jalapeno. Keep in mind that jalapenos sometimes become a bit more spicy the longer they sit within a mixture.
*Use either Fat-free mayo and cream cheese or reduced-fat mayo and cream cheese (see WW Info. below for points). Both versions were figured using reduced-fat cheddar.
WW Info: 5 points per half-cup serving on all three plans if using fat free mayo & cream cheese; 8 points per half-cup serving on all plans if use reduced fat mayo & cream cheese. Both points values are figured with reduced-fat cheddar. Points values do not include crackers or bread.
WW Info: If use fat free mayo and cream cheese, this recipe is 5 ww points on all plans for a 1/2 c. serving; with reduced fat mayo and cream cheese, it’s 8 ww points on all plans for a 1/2 c. serving. Makes 8 servings. Bread or crackers not included in points.
I absolutely love chipotle flavors with chicken, and this recipe was invented out of my wondering what it might be like if I could turn a chipotle chicken bowl into a stew. The fresh red onion and cilantro at the end really kick it up giving it an amazing fresh taste, but you could leave out the cilantro if that’s not your jam. I am so glad I followed my wacky whim to see how this would shape up, as it’s become a family favorite and is SO different from anything else. Super hearty and layered with flavor for days, you’re going to be glad you have leftovers – like most soups/stews, it just gets better each day, and if you don’t get to it all in time, it freezes well too. ~Robin
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped (pretty small pieces – about ¾ to 1 inch chunks)
2 tsp. olive oil
1 T. diced chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce (I use a La Costeña)*
¾ tsp. chipotle chili powder
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. jarred, minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. salt (divided – 1 tsp. for cooking chicken, another ½ tsp. added to soup)
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
½ white onion, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (11 oz.) can shoe peg corn
32 oz. chicken broth
½ tsp. chicken bullion
1/4-1/3 c. red onion depending on preference – I love the fresh kick of the red onion, so I use 1/3
1 can original Rotel (can use mild if prefer less heat)
2 c. cooked minute rice
½ – ¾ bunch cilantro (depending on how much you love it)
juice of 2 limes (I usually just add a touch more to my bowl when I serve it up but see what works for you)
½ tsp. garlic powder
Instructions:
Add two teaspoons of olive oil to a large stock pot and heat to medium-high heat. Add chicken, minced garlic, chipotle peppers, onions, jalapeño, chipotle chili powder, cumin, & 1 tsp. salt.
Cook minute rice according to directions on the box while your chicken is cooking.
Once chicken is fully cooked (will no longer have any translucency or pinkness), add chicken broth, chicken bouillon, black beans, corn, Rotel, garlic powder, and salt if desired (may not need this salt if chicken broth isn’t low-sodium).
Cook on medium heat, stirring often to avoid sticking, for about 10 minutes.
Add cooked rice, red onion, cilantro, and fresh lime juice and continue to simmer for about 5 more minutes or until heated throughout and flavors have a chance to mingle a bit more.
WW Info: Makes 11 filling 1-cup servings at 3 points/serving on the green plan; 2 points/serving on blue and purple.
*This recipe will not use more than a bit of the can; however, I freeze mine in ice trays so I can grab a serving size as needed for cooking later. To do this, fill ice trays about ¾ of the way full with chopped peppers and sauce, then cover the top with plastic wrap. Once the cubes are frozen after about 24 hours, I dump them into an airtight freezer-safe storage container. They can last up to six months in the freezer this way. Don’t worry if it’s a little messy; they don’t freeze quite as hard as other things, but they’ll stay good & fresh like this for the next time you need some chipotle in your life.
