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Bacon & Mushroom Pasta in Cream Sauce

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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

Chicken Fajita Soup

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chicken fajita soup

I love a re-make of a classic dish everyone knows and loves.  This recipe was actually born on a whim.   I was trying to think of something different for dinner (sound familiar??).  Chicken fajitas kept coming to mind but it really wasn’t quite what I wanted.   I decided to take chicken fajitas and all those great flavors and make it into a soup.  Why not!!??   It is hearty and delicious, warm and comforting.  It has all the familiar flavors but in soup form.   It’s fabulous and has joined the list of regular dinners in our house.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil, divided
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into half circles
  • 1 large medium bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 T. water
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2/3 c. canned fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1/3 c. Ro-tel tomatoes and green chilies
  • 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 2 T fajita seasoning (from the packet – I used McCormicks)
  • 5 c. fat free chicken broth

Slice chicken into thin strips and remove all fat.  Separate into two batches.   In a heavy dutch oven or soup pot spread 1 teaspoon oil in bottom of pan.   Turn on heat to medium-high.  Once pot is heated, add the first half of the chicken.   Sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Add garlic powder and onion powder if desired.   Brown chicken on all sides then remove to a dish and repeat with second half, after adding the other teaspoon of oil to pan.    Keep chicken covered and warm.

After the chicken is browned and removed from pot, reduce heat to medium and add onion.  Sauté the onion for about 3 minutes, until it begins to soften.  Add bell pepper and 1 T. water.  Continue to cook and stir for about 2 minutes then add garlic.  Continue until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Add fire roasted tomatoes, Ro-tel tomatoes, beans and seasonings.  Slowly add in chicken broth. Stir until combined.

Bring to a simmer and add chicken.  Simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Serve with heated tortillas, cheese, avocado or guacamole, if desired

Makes nine 1 cup servings.

WW Info.:  Makes 9 1-cup serving at just 1 point each.

Pizza Mini Meatloaves

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My husband (Erin’s) has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments for Hodgekin’s Lymphoma. He’s actually doing really well on the treatments so far and has only had minor side-effects, thank God! I pray it continues to go so smoothly. Since he was diagnosed, our family and friends have been amazing and have helped us in so many ways, including filling our freezer with meals. You wouldn’t think home-cooked meals would be that big a deal but, let me tell you, there are days when opening the freezer and choosing a meal to heat up the next day saves a lot of stress and energy. Especially on days he has chemo, it’s nice to be able to come home and heat up a good supper.

Do you ever send meals to family and friends who are ill or having surgery? If so, what do you usually make? I have several go-to recipes to use in these situations but one of my favorites is these Pizza Mini Meatloaves. For starters, they are a recipe everyone will like… what’s not to love about pizza?! They are also the perfect freezer meal because you can freeze them individually rather than in one big pan, like a casserole. The good thing about freezing them individually is that a person can choose to thaw and reheat them all or just a few at a time. Great for lunch for one person or for a family meal! When I make these at home, they rarely make it to the freezer though. My family gobbles them up! -Erin

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Waffle Muffins

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Valentine’s Day – some people aren’t big fans; others love it.  I’m somewhere in the middle.  I like the holiday.  In fact, I like practically any reason to celebrate.  I like the idea of a day devoted to expressing love…and I like the gifts too, of course!  My husband and I don’t do big gifts for Valentine’s Day though.  We usually get each other a card and he usually picks me up some flowers or candy at the grocery store.

This year, with his work schedule, I knew we wouldn’t see each other much on Valentine’s Day past breakfast time so I wanted to make something for him more special than his usual bowl of Lucky Charms.  The problem is, I’m not a morning person.  Not even a little bit.  Plus, Valentine’s Day this year was on a Thursday and that’s a work day.  Ain’t nobody got time to make breakfast on a work day.   The solution to this problem was to cook breakfast the night before and reheat it quickly in the morning.  I decided to make these Waffle Muffins, boiled eggs, and bacon, all of which was easily reheated and enjoyed quickly before getting ready for work.  I reheated the muffins and the cooked bacon in the air fryer and the eggs in the microwave.  Worked like a charm!  He was impressed that I had made breakfast on a weekday (Frankly, so was I!) and it was delicious – worth getting out of bed a few minutes early!  ~Erin

Ingredients:

  • 10 Eggo Nutri-Grain Low Fat waffles (1 box)
  • 1 c. fat-free half & half
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ c. brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • Maple syrup – for serving, optional

Instructions: 

  1. Toast 5 of the waffles.  You can toast them all but I decided I wanted a mixture of different textures so I didn’t.  Plus, I’m lazy.  Cut the waffles in bite-sized pieces; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the fat-free half & half, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until well-combined.  Stir the waffle pieces into the egg mixture, making sure they are all moistened.  Let them soak about 20 minutes while the oven preheats, stirring occasionally.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 12-hole muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.  When the oven is preheated, stir the waffle mixture one last time and, using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, disperse the mixture evenly in the pan.
  4. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes (I usually leave mine in the full 30 minutes), until golden brown.
  5. Serve with maple syrup of your choice, if desired.

WW Freestyle Info.:  4 points for one, 9 points for two muffins.

Honey Garlic Shrimp

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Have you seen the meme on social media that says “January was a hard year but we made it.”?  That makes me chuckle because it must be the universal feeling everyone is having, me included.  It was LONG month. Not bad, just long. I guess because November and December just flew right by, the slower pace of the new year seemed to crawl in comparison.  

January has finally come to a close and, while I’m not one to wish time away, I’m happy to see February… mostly because it’s one month closer to Spring.  

Food-wise, winter has been a season of belly-warming comfort foods for me.  I have fully enjoyed all the foods and have about 7 pounds to show for it. Time to stop eating like I’m participating in hibernation.  While I love comfort foods, I truly appreciate a dinner that is not so heavy. This Honey Garlic Shrimp is sweet and spicy and, of course, garlicy… hence the name.  It’s also super-fast to make. We’re talking like 15 minutes start-to-finish. Can’t beat that! I can throw this on the table after work in no time and have a meal everyone will enjoy!  That’s why it’s part of my weeknight dinner rotation. I’m confident it will soon be part of yours as well. ~Erin

Ingredients:
  • 2 lbs. medium-sized shrimp that have been shelled and de-veined
  • 1 T. minced garlic
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil or olive oil
  • ¼ tsp. grated ginger root or 1/8 tsp. dry ginger
  • ½ c. less-sodium soy sauce
  • ½ c. water
  • 1 T. cornstarch
  • 2 T. honey
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste; optional
  • Chopped green onion
  • Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions: 

  1. Add the shrimp and cook about 4 minutes.
  2. Flip the shrimp and add the remaining ½ tsp. of oil, the garlic, and the ginger. Cook for 3 or 4 more minutes, until the shrimp is cooked and the garlic and ginger are fragrant.
  3. Remove the seasoned shrimp from heat and transfer to a plate.
  4. Return the skillet to the stove and turn the heat up to medium-high. Immediately add soy sauce and water to the skillet. When it begins to bubble, add the cornstarch, whisking continuously, until thickened. This will take just a couple minutes.
  5. Turn off the heat and whisk in the honey.
  6. Return the shrimp to the skillet and stir to coat the shrimp and warm through.
  7. Serve over rice. Garnish with green onions and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

WW Freestyle info.: This makes 4 servings. Each serving is 3 points, not counting rice.

Cuban Style Red Beans and Rice

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Most of the time when people talk about red beans and rice, the Cajun version is what comes to mind, at least for me. The flavors of this Cuban version are unique and amazing.  Not your standard red beans and rice!  You can adjust the heat by choosing mild, regular or hot Ro-Tel tomatoes and adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper.  The addition of cilantro and the hint of lime are perfect.  I’m thankful that I have a family that enjoys the adventurous recipes that roll across our table.  This one is a keeper.    ~Kathy

1 c. bell pepper (any color), chopped

½ c. onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 (16 oz.) cans light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Ro-tel), undrained

1 c. broth (vegetable or fat free chicken broth, water will also work)

1 tsp. salt

1 ¼ tsp. cumin

¾ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1/3 c. cilantro, chopped

2 T. fresh lime juice

3 c. hot, cooked rice; for serving

Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, beans, tomatoes, broth and seasonings to the pot of a slow-cooker; stir well.

Cover and cook on low 4 hours.  Add cilantro and squeeze in lime juice.  Serve over rice.

 

The Best Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

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Over the years I’ve seen lots of different recipes for Barbacoa.  Some had ingredients that I thought were a little weird, some had sugar, and some had dizzyingly long lists of ingredients.  The version that I’ve created has the perfect amount of spicy flavor, and it cooks to fall apart tender. It’s tasty enough that my oldest, who usually doesn’t care for shredded beef dishes, asked me to make him his own batch to take back to college with him.  He’s also not a fan of leftovers, so here’s hoping that this helps keep him (and his debit card) out of the Chick-Fil-A drive through! But let’s be honest, one of the best things about this dish is that it takes a few minutes to dice two ingredients and the rest is simply tossing stuff into the slow cooker.  My favorite way to eat this is on a soft taco with a little cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and of course, cheese, but it also makes a great base for shredded beef enchiladas. I think it’ll quickly become one of your favorites (and it’s only 3 WW points per serving)! ~Tracy

Ingredients:
  • ~One beef rump roast, approximately 3 lbs., with fat trimmed
  • ~1, 5 oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I use Embasa brand)
  • ~1, 4 oz. can diced green chiles
  • ~1 cup diced white or yellow onion
  • ~5 large cloves garlic, minced
  • ~juice of one lime, freshly squeezed
  • ~2 T. apple cider vinegar
  • ~3 to 4 bay leaves
  • ~1 ½ tsp. salt
  • ~1 tsp. black pepper
  • ~1 T. ground cumin
  • ~1 ½ tsp. oregano
  • ~1 c. fat free beef broth or prepared beef bouillon
  1. Place rump roast in slow cooker (I highly recommend using slow cooker liner. They make cleanup so much easier!)
  2. Remove the adobo peppers from the can and roughly chop them. Use the entire can if you like things fairly spicy. When cooking for my family, I use the entire can, but if you don’t love things very spicy, or are cooking for others, use half the can.
  3. Add the peppers (including seeds and some of the sauce) to the pot with the roast.
  4. Add all other ingredients.
  5. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.
  6. Remove the roast from the slow cooker using tongs or a large spatula.
  7. Remove the bay leaves from the pot while you have the meat removed.
  8. Shred the meat and return to the slow cooker to let it simmer in the juices for another 15-20 minutes before serving.
  9. Remove the meat from the liquid and serve.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 15, 3 oz. servings that are 3 points each.

Skillet Cube Steak

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My 11-year-old daughter recently shot her first deer. We hunt for the meat, not for the sport, but I will say there is something rewarding about harvesting your own dinner. My girl was excited and proud to get her first buck!

Venison is delicious, not to mention good for you. It’s a very lean red meat with hardly any fat. Our meat processor tenderizes ours for us so that, it’s so tender, you can cut it with a butter knife. If you don’t have the luxury of hunting your own venison and having it tenderized, you can buy beef cube steak (also known as tenderized round steak) at your local grocery store. We like either/or in this house! ~Erin

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ lbs. cube steak, carefully trimmed of all fat and cut into small (approximately 2 inch) pieces
  • ½ c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 3 T. olive oil, divided

In a gallon-sized baggie, place all the trimmed meat along with the flour, salt, and pepper. Keep a lot of air in the bag and seal it well. This allows space for the meat and seasonings to shake around in the bag. Flip and shake the baggie until all the meat is coated evenly. Lay the meat out in a single layer on wax paper or plastic wrap near the stove and let it rest for 3-5 minutes. This helps the flour adhere to the meat.

Preheat a medium-sized heavy nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add one Tablespoon olive oil and swirl to distribute evenly. Allow the oil to get hot for about a minute; then add about 1/3 of the meat in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. My skillet would fit about 1/3 of the batch of meat so I used 1 Tablespoon of oil per batch for a total of 3 Tablespoons. If you have a large skillet, you may be able to cook it all in two batches, using half of the 3 Tablespoons of oil for each of the batches.

Do not move the meat around after laying it in the pan; let it cook for 4-5 minutes undisturbed. Flip each piece and continue to cook for 3-4 more minutes or until the pieces are golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. My family would organize an uprising if I didn’t serve this with mashed potatoes and cream gravy so I suggest you do too. 🙂

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 5 servings of about 4 ounces each. Each serving is 7 points, whether you use venison or beef.

Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie

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My crock pot and I could really be best friends.  When it comes to dinner, I rely on that one appliance as much as anything else.  There’s nothing better than coming home to dinner that is near ready when you walk in the door from a busy workday.   A few basic ingredients and you will be enjoying this slow cooked version of a classic.   Just before you want to have dinner, bake your favorite biscuits and serve it over top of one!  Here’s a great biscuit recipe to try:  Mama’s Flaky Cream Biscuits.  Delish!!

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Ingredients:

  • 5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced to 1 1/2”
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – any fat trimmed (about 1 ¾ to 2 pounds)
  • 2 T minced dried onion (or ½ c fresh onion chopped)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 cans (10 ½ oz each) Campbell’s Healthy Request cream of chicken soup
  • 1/3 c. water or low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 c. frozen corn
  • 1 c. frozen peas or green beans

Instructions: 

Place diced potatoes in 6-quart crock pot.  Add carrots and seasonings.  Lay chicken breasts on top of vegetables.  Pour in cream of chicken soup and water over chicken.  Do Not Mix!  (Corn and peas are added later.)  Place lid on crock pot and cook on high for approximately 4 hours or on low for approximately 7 hours.  Remove chicken from crock pot to a heat proof plate and shred; set aside.  Add corn and peas or beans to the crock pot.  Thin sauce in crock pot with up to an additional ¼ c. chicken broth, if needed.  Return chicken to pot.   Allow frozen vegetables to heat through, about 10 minutes.  Serve over a baked, warm, split biscuit.

WW Freestyle Info: Makes 8 servings of 1¼ cups each.  4 points per serving, not counting your choice of biscuit.

Creamy Chicken Taco Chili

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Every New Year’s Eve on Facebook (for the past several years), I have posted, “Tell me something good that happened this year.”  If you listen to The Bobby Bones radio show, the phrase “tell me something good” may ring a bell.  It’s a segment on his show every morning where the cast reads positive news headlines.  It’s my favorite part of his show.  I mean, who doesn’t love to hear about the GOOD things people are doing in this world?!  There is enough negativity and bad news out there.  It’s nice to focus on the good for a change.  My yearly Facebook post is a knockoff from Bobby’s Tell Me Something Good segment… a chance for me to hear some positive news from my friends and share some positive news of my own.  A perfect way to end one year and move into the next.  If more people focused on the positive things in their lives instead of harping on the bad stuff, this world would be a much more pleasant place, don’t you agree?

This year, I was able to share several good things that happened for me in 2018 (I could have named a bunch but I focused on the highlights):  1.  I became a WW (formerly Weight Watchers) Wellness Guide (a.k.a. meeting receptionist – I’m still not used to the new titles).  I’ve been a lifetime member for YEARS and decided it was time to take a more active roll.  2.  I went back to teaching!  I was a kindergarten teacher for 6 years but I quit teaching and went into a different field when my daughter was a year old (long story) so I’ve been out of public ed for over 10 years.  I’m back and glad to be working with kids again, plus it’s awesome to be back on the same schedule as my own kids.  3.  We more than doubled our blog traffic on Four Sisters Dish in 2018 as compared to our first year, 2017.  That’s amazing!  We have YOU to thank for it.  We want to thank you all for reading, subscribing, commenting, sharing, and most importantly COOKING our recipes!  We love when people make our food and tell us how they like them.  Please continue to do so… we love hearing from our readers and we hope to have more interaction with you 2019!

Tell us something good in the comments!  What was something good that happened for you in 2018?  We hope your 2018 was as great as ours and we at Four Sisters Dish wish you a happy, healthy and delicious 2019!

Speaking of delicious, let’s start the year off with this Creamy Chicken Taco Chili.  This can be made in your crockpot or your electric pressure cooker.  I’ve included instructions for both.  This chili is creamy and rich but it’s guaranteed not to sabotage your healthy diet resolutions.  Enjoy it without guilt!  ~Erin

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Ingredients: 

  • 2 ½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken individually frozen chicken breasts*
  • 2 cans (10 ¾ oz. each) Campbell’s Healthy Request cheddar cheese soup
  • 1 (16 oz.) can fat-free refried beans
  • 1 (16 oz.) jar mild taco sauce (I used Taco Bell brand.)
  • 1 (16 oz.) can fat-free chicken broth
  • 1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 (10 oz.) can mild Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chilis, undrained
  • 1 T. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • ½ tsp. oregano
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (8 oz.) package fat-free cream cheese

Slow Cooker Instructions:

In the pot of a slow-cooker, whisk together cheddar cheese soup, refried beans, taco sauce, chicken broth, corn, Ro-Tel, and spices.  Nestle the frozen chicken breasts into the mixture.  *You can use thawed chicken breast, just be aware that it will cook much faster.

Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  In the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove the chicken from the pot and shred it; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together some of the hot liquid from the crock pot with the cream cheese, until smooth.  Pour the cream cheese mixture into the pot, stir in the black beans, and return the shredded chicken to the pot. Continue cooking for 20-30 minutes of cook time.

Serve with shredded cheese, avocado, jalapenos, and corn chips, if desired.

Electric Pressure Cooker Instructions:

In the pot of an electric pressure cooker, whisk together cheddar cheese soup, refried beans, taco sauce, chicken broth, corn, Ro-Tel, and spices.  Nestle the frozen chicken breasts into the mixture.

*You can use thawed chicken breast, just be aware that it will cook much faster.  See your pressure cooker owner’s manual for time adjustments for thawed chicken breasts.

Set the electric pressure cooker for 45 minutes.  Quick release pressure and open the pot when all pressure is released.  Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together some of the hot liquid from the pressure cooker with the cream cheese, until smooth.  Pour the cream cheese mixture into the pot, stir in the black beans, and return the shredded chicken to the pot.  Using the saute setting, simmer for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until beans are warmed through.  Watch it closely so the cream cheese doesn’t scorch.

Serve with shredded cheese, avocado, jalapenos, and corn chips, if desired.

WW Freestyle Info: This soup makes approximately 16 cups.  Each cup is 2 points, not counting optional garnishes.