Faux Meat

Before you go running away from this post...it's not as bad as it sounds. Seriously.

Morningstar Farms (and the Boca people) make some not-so-bad "faux meat" products. I have used the Morningstar Farms veggie sausage for quite some time and my meat-eating boys love it and can't (really) tell the difference.

I decided to branch out and give the "ground beef" crumbles a try. They are an all-natural, soy-based product. And I really liked the crumbles in the following recipe. I think the garlic and onion go a long way to really transform them to a more authentic experience.

"Meaty" Meatless Spaghetti with Fresh Spinach

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 (12 oz) package frozen burger style crumbles

2 tablespoons water

1 (26 oz) jar Classico Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce

2 cups fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped

10 ounces uncooked spaghetti

5 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 4 minutes. Add crumbles; saute 5 minutes or until crumbles are completely thawed. Add water and pasta sauce; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in spinach, and simmer 4 minutes or until spinach wilts.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Serve sauce over hot cooked pasta, and sprinkle each serving with cheese.

We served this with green beans and hot bread and it was yummy...the boys didn't even miss the meat!

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 cup pasta, 1 cup sauce and 1 tablespoon cheese).

POINTS Value: 8 per serving

The New Weight Watcher Wednesday...

After quite a hiatus from posting Weight Watcher Wednesday recipes, I've decided to pick it back up. A few of you have mentioned that you missed the posts...and I have to! I realized I actually referred to my Weight Watcher Wednesday archives so much when I do my weekly menu planning....but hey, you can only make lasagna, turkey chili and chicken and rice so many weeks in a row without feeling like you're in a rut. (And the little people in the house saying "not _____ again!")

Instead of limiting myself to posting recipes on Wednesday...I ditched that idea so I can just post whenever the desire strikes!

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Last night, Beth & Max came over to have supper with me and the boys (D was principalling at a bball game). One thing about being on WW, I still want to have recipes that I can prepare for guests. Although Beth is more like family than a guest, I still don't want her to come over and feel like she's being served Alpo on a plate. Soooo, I pulled out my latest WW cookbook and put this together. Along with Beth's rolls (she fixed them with honey and butter...um, yeah), we had rice (Max is a big fan of rice) green beans and steamed kale (that I totally botched and therefore, was the only one to partake of).

Home-Style Salisbury Steaks with Mushroom Gravy

taken from Weight Watchers Comfort Classics Cookbook

1 pound lean ground beef (5% fat or less)

1 small onion (chopped very fine, almost minced)

2 slices thin-sliced whole wheat bread, cut into cubes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth

1. Preheat the broiler (my oven has a high and low broiler setting and I always set it to high when I cook meat). Spray broiler pan/rack with nonstick spray.

2. Stir the beef, onion, bread, salt and pepper together in a large bowl until well-mixed (a good pair of clean hands is sometimes the best way to do this). Shape into four oval patties. Place the patties on the broiler pan and broil six inches from the heat, until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees....about 7 minutes per side.

3. Meanwhile, to make the gravy, heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour, stirring to coat. Add the broth and bring to a boil, stirring until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Add the patties to the skillet, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, 2-3 minutes.

Per serving (1 patty with 1/4 cup gravy)...POINTS Value 5

Chili's Chicken Crispers are my absolute guiltiest pleasure. But, at a whopping 47 points, it's just not even close to being a good idea. 

So, I found a little somethin'-somethin' to replace (sigh) the Chicken Crispers in my life. I will say, I wasn't crazy about the sauce. But, I am including the sauce in this recipe in case it just does it for your bunch. I would have preferred more of a honey mustard. Next time, I plan to just use a fat-free bottled dressing instead.

But the chicken fingers are gooooood. 

Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers with Dijon Maple Sauce

(again, use the sauce at your own discretion) 

from the Weight Watchers Annual Recipes for Success 2005

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders (about 12 pieces)

3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 cup egg substitute

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

Cooking Spray

Sauce Ingredients:

1/2 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons light butter

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 400.

2. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and salt. Place 1/2 cup flour and egg substitute in separate shallow dishes. Combine 1/2 cup flour, pecans, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish.

I made my pecan pieces super fine by using a chopper.

The line up.

3. Dredge each chicken tender in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip each tender in egg substitute; dredge dipped tenders in pecan mixture.

4. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray. Add half of chicken and cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet lined with foil. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken tenders and oil.

5. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes or until done. 

6. Combine chicken broth and cornstarch; add mixture to pan used for tenders (do not wipe clean). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thick, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in maple syrup, mustard, butter and lemon juice; cook about a minute. Serve with tenders.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size is about 2 tenders and 2 1/4 tablespoons sauce).

POINTS Value: 6 per serving

Yum. We served it with our favorite (2 points for a serving) french fries:

Oh, and WOOHOO.....I reached the 50 pounds lost mark at my Weight Watchers meeting last night! So excited to reach this milestone. 

The Saturday Edition....

Kids in the Kitchen...Weight Watchers' Style

One of my favorite ways to spend time with the boys is in the kitchen. Benjamin and I have been cooking it up for a couple of years now. Jonathan is now joining us more and more and loves to pitch in. Here's a couple of our favorites that you and your kiddos might enjoy, too:

Lazy Day Lasagna (there's now a check mark on Benjamin's summer list)

From the Complete Cooking Light Cookbook
This is a pretty basic recipe as far as lasagna goes, that's why I thought it would be perfect to make with kiddos. No frills. No fuss. But pretty tasty.

1 pound ground round

1 (26-ounce) bottle low-fat pasta sauce

1/2 cup water

2 cups fat free cottage cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cooking Spray

1 (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles

1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat mild cheddar cheese

Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain; wipe drippings from pan with paper towels. Return beef to pan. Stir in pasta sauce and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Combine cottage and Parmesan cheeses in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Spread 1/2 cup beef mixture in bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over beef mixture; top with half of cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup beef mixture, and 1/3 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers once, ending with noodles. Spread remaining beef mixture over noodles. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, and bake 5 additional minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired. Yield: 9 servings.

POINTS value: 6 points per serving.

Benjamin loves to help with putting salad together. It's the perfect time-filler while the lasagna is in the oven.

Chocolate Sheet Cake

from Weight Watchers online eTools

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cup fat-free skim milk

3 large egg whites

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

1 tbsp. powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well with a fork to combine.

3. In another large mixing bowl, combine milk, egg whites, melted butter and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until blended; gradually beat in boiling water.

4. Gradually add flour mixture to milk mixture and mix on low speed until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan, on a wire rack.

5. Sift powdered sugar over cooled cake before cutting into 12 pieces. Yield: 1 piece per serving (the pieces are HUGE).

POINTS Value: 4 per serving

I {heart} guacamole so much. My friend, Jennifer, always makes it when they host Life Group and hers is to die for! She serves it in the prettiest green dish and piles it up to where you can't resist it. It is the epitome of summer taste.

Although guacamole isn't all that terribly unhealthy, it does pack in the fat. A quarter of a cup contains 3 POINTS-- yikes, that can add up fast. For years, I have heard of the classic "Mock Guac" which adds frozen peas to the mix to lighten it up. I wasn't sure if I was okay with that. It turns out, I totally am. So delicious! And almost prettier than regular guacamole with the extra green from the peas. There are several versions of this around, but this one was so easy. Ole!

MOCK GUAC

1 1/4 cup frozen petite green peas, thawed

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 medium avocado, peeled and quartered

1/2 medium jalapeno, seeded and quartered

2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process 2 minutes or until smooth, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Spoon guacamole into a bowl. Serve immediately, or press plastic wrap onto surface of guacamole, and chill up to one hour before serving.

YIELD: 6 servings (serving size is 1/4 a cup)

POINTS Value per serving: 1

This is great on a Baked Tostito chip (14 chips for 2 points):

Or on chicken tacos-- this is only one points' worth divided between the two tacos... Holy Guacamole, that's a lot of dip!

Turkey Chili Mac (makes me happy)

Sorry for the lack of WeightWatcher Wednesday posts lately. I actually wasn't sure WWWednesday had a readership until a couple of friends from church mentioned they had been missing it. (Very sweet of you two). So now to the meat of the matter...(ha)

I know what you're thinking....chili in May? For some reason the simplicity of this recipe just had me at hello. And the elbow mac really cuts the chili-ish-ness a lot. It's just a yummy dish. And great in the lunch the next day. This is David's favorite right now. 

1 cup uncooked enriched multigrain elbow macaroni (such as Barilla Plus), note: if you use regular elbow mac, it will up your points value

cooking spray

1 pound ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, chopped and undrained (you can cut these in the can with kitchen shears)

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded 2% reduced fat Cheddar cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting fat; drain.

2. While pasta cooks, heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat it with Pam and add turkey, onion and next five ingredients. Cook 7 minutes or until turkey is done.

3. Add cooked pasta, beans, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups).

POINTS value per serving: 6

We serve this with cornbread (from a mix). I always try to buy the mix that you only add water to so you don't increase the points by adding milk, eggs, etc. This type is 3 points per piece, but if you think about it, a piece is actually 2 when cut in half and buttered with Brummel & Brown!

My good friend, Becky, over at Casita de Alaniz (she's actually a "real life" amigo, too!) has some wonderful recipes. Over a year ago she shared her Chicken & Rice recipe with me and I was hooked.

Now, I know every good southern girl has her own recipe for Chicken & Rice, usually including a can or two of Cream o' Mushroom (a casserole standard in Texas), but Becky's recipe was different and...sooo yummy.

Becky & I recently chatted about lightening it up. She said she uses the brown Minute Rice (which helps since the fiber content would knock down the POINTS). Although I couldn't find the brown version at HEB last week, I recalculated it on the Weight Watcher site using the reduced fat soups and skim milk.

I seriously couldn't tell the difference. And neither could the fam. This will continue to live on as a family fave-- now a bit lighter!

Becky's Chicken & Rice...WW Style!

8-10 thawed chicken tenders or 3 large chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 can 98% fat-free cream of celery soup

1 can 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 cans (yes, cans) Minute Rice (can use brown)

1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix, dry

1 1/2 cans skim milk (it will rinse the rice out)

Combine soup in mixing bowl, add rice and then milk.

Man, I love how Becky thinks. She and I are so alike....this totally saves you a dirty measuring cup by using the can. She's one resourceful gal.

Mix well with wire whisk. Add package of onion soup mix, stir well and sprinkle with a little salt (I use Accent in place of salt a lot these days) and pepper.

Spray 9x13 casserole dish with Pam. Pour half of soup/rice mixture in the bottom.

Then lay chicken pieces on top of soup layer. Follow with remaining soup/rice mixture on top of the chicken to cover. Cover tightly with foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for an hour and a half. Take foil off last 30 minutes to make the top a little browned.

Allow to sit a few minutes before serving.

6 generous  heaping servings.

POINTS value: 6 points per serving.

Weight Watching TIP OF THE WEEK:

Not all 100 Cal packs are the same. A few of them are PACKED with fiber to make them only ONE little point per serving...how awesome is that?

Two AWESOME fiber-packed 100 Cal packs are from our friends at Hostess and Mrs. Freshley's Snack Away brand. 

These Peanut Butter Wafers are only 1 point each (and actually only 90 cals) while their competition at Little Debbie with their 100 calorie peanut butter bars are 3 points each!

The hostess 100 cal cake packs are truly wonderful...we love the strawberry ones. 

Now, I am certainly not advocating that these are necessarily healthy, it would probably better to eat a piece of fruit. However, sometimes a treat is great. And it's fun to feel like I am eating "naughty" when I am really eating quite nice.

Happy snacking!

Oh, and I am so excited to report that I made one of my mini-goals last night at the meeting! I reached my 30 pound mark-- actually even went over a bit to make it 31.2 pounds lost so far. And I am still using all of my extra points every week-- every last one. 

Mmmmm.....this is my new favorite by far. We made this last week one night and I am still thinking about it. Actually, that's sort of sad, huh? But, seriously. It. Was. Delicious. We have a little joke-sie around El Rancho that we refer to as "restaurant quality"....meaning a dish that is so unbelievable it could have come from our favorite restaurant. (And to give credit where credit is due, we borrowed this cheesey line from Sarah Jessica Parker in The First Wives Club).

So, I present to you, dear "losers": one awesome, restaurant quality recipe!

Green Chile-Chicken Casserole

(from the All-New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook)

1 1/3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 cup canned chopped green chiles, drained

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup fat-free sour cream

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 (10.5 oz.) cans condensed 98%-fat-free cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

cooking spray

24 (6-inch) corn tortillas

4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 cups (8 oz.) finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

To start, I have to share the best garlic trick, ever! Actually, most of you probably already know this, I have just been behind on the garlic tricks, mainly because I was stuck in the land of pre-mined, jarred garlic. I won't ever buy it again! My friend, Jennifer, who has some awesome chef skills that we all like to oooo and ahhhh over, taught me a great trick to use with something that I had in my drawer-- my garlic press. I had used it before, but it seemed like a lot of work....pull garlic clove off the head, pop & peel garlic, chop off ends and then insert into press. Jennifer told me to just stick the whole clove (skin & all) into the press.

Then just squeeze.

And voila! The skin remains in the press after the garlic is already in the pan! Throw away your jar of pre-minced stuff for good!

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine first 9 ingredients in a large saucepan, stir with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

3. Spread 1 cup soup mixture in a 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 6 tortillas over soup mixture, and top with 1 cup cooked chicken and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layers 3 times, ending with cheese. Spread remaining soup mixture over cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup).

POINTS value: 7 points per serving.

Weight Watching TIP OF THE WEEK:

This tip was told to me by our super talented photo-taking friend, Melissa. If you are a planner, especially when it comes to your family's meals, you will love emealz! And they have a POINTS friendly option for Wal-mart shoppers! You may have heard of emealz if you're a Dave Ramsey fan. I have gotten several new recipes from my emealz membership and love their format. They help you plan out a week's worth of meals that are not so spendy at all! You'll save time and money and the meals are really tasty. I do add in lunch stuff, breakfasts, and snacks, so that adds a bit to the budget. But, other than that...what a great idea! And, the plan I chose is for a family of 6...so usually we have leftovers for lunch the next day.

We love us some Italian food around El Rancho Dominguez. And I am always excited when I find a new low-fat recipe that works well with the POINTS system. This week I thought it would be fun to share our new Italian fave around here....mangiamo!

Parmesan Baked Chicken Breasts
(from the Weight Watchers Annual Recipes for Success 2007 Cookbook)


1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
Pasta sauce (favorite homemade recipe or store-bought will work)

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow dish.
3. Place garlic and oil in a small glass bowl, and microwave on HIGH 30 seconds or until warm and fragrant.
4. Dip chicken in garlic oil; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray and place chicken on pan. Coat chicken with cooking spray (makes it crispy).
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until done and golden. Serve with pasta sauce.

POINTS value: 7 points per chicken breast.
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We actually serve this over whole-wheat pasta and with a side of veggies.

One cup of whole-wheat pasta is 3 points. 1/2 cup of (most) pasta sauce is 1 point.

I love to add Molly McButter (as pictured) to our veggies for a little extra something.

Does anyone else's pasta sauce make this mess? Bubble, bubble, splat, splat.

Weight Watching TIP OF THE WEEK:
I think it's fun to try new things and think outside of the box. My WW pal, Jennifer, told me about these bagels and since then they have become my everyday breakfast. Hold onto your hats... they are only ONE point per bagel. And taste great. You can find "The Alternative Bagel" (from the Western Bagel Company) in the refrigerated section at Walmart...right next to the cream cheese.

This is the best 3-POINT breakfast...yummy when toasted. If I am in a salty mood, I use the 1/3 Less Fat Garden Veggie Cream Cheese (2 tablespoons). But if I am in the mood for something sweet (90% of my mornings), I go for the 1/3 Less Fat Strawberry Cream Cheese (2 tablespoons). The spread adds 2 points.

I would have never tried these on my own. But, I am so happy my friend found them. Since then, I have branched out and found a few new low-point things on my own. Just try something new! The tip? Think Outside the Box!

The Ultimate WW Recipe Post

I have been pecking at this post for a while now. There are a bunch of us at church and preschool currently on the Weight Watchers program. I {heart} Weight Watchers so much. I have been on the program several times and have been successful...and then had a major life-changing experience (marriage, baby, etc) that caused me to fall off the WW wagon. But, I am truly excited to be a "loser" again. I am working the program a little differently this time around...making sure to use every point given to me so it is an actual life-style change, not just a diet.

On my previous WW round in 2005-2006, I was thrilled to have lost 75 pounds. And there were many, many WW recipes that I came to just enjoy so much that helped me achieve that loss. Several of my blog friends and "real life" friends have asked for me to post some of my faves. I would love to do that. The problem is that I now have so many faves from over the years, that this will take more than just one post. Honestly, our little family eats these meals even when we are not on the program. They don't taste like you're missing out on anything. They are recipes for life!

My intention is to try to post a recipe (or hopefully more) once a week (this may be easier come May).  I am thinking Weight Watcher Wednesday might be a sort of fun little weekly post. Although today isn't Wednesday, I would love to go ahead and share a few of our family faves with you today! 

The manicotti is actually the one I took to the class potluck at church last weekend.

Shrimp Fried Rice with Edamame

(We just tried this last week so I snapped a few photos. It was the perfect fix for our Panda Express cravings-- even better being homemade! We had this with Mr. Chang's spring rolls, from the freezer section at Wal-mart. They were only 2 points each. This was from the Weight Watchers Annual Recipes for Success 2006 Cookbook.)

As PW would say...the cast of characters

2 teaspoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, coursely chopped

1 teaspoon minced, peeled fresh ginger

4 cups jasmine or other white rice, cooked according to package directions (can be chilled after cooked because chilled rice doesn't stick together when stir-frying)

1 cup fully-cooked shelled edamame

1/2 cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium) I actually used the little carrot sticks and shredded them in a mini food processor. 

1/3 cup chopped green onions (about 3 onions)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

1. Heat peanut oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large nonstick skillet. Add shallots and egg; stir-fry 30 seconds or until egg is soft-scrambled. Add shrimp and ginger, stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Add rice and next 4 ingredients, and stir-fry 1 minute.



2. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil.

YIELD: 6 servings (serving size 1 1/3 cups)

POINTS value: 7 per serving

Spinach Manicotti

(from the Weight Watchers Annual Recipes for Success 2003 Cookbook)

8 manicotti shells, uncooked

1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup (1.3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained & squeezed dry

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 large egg white

2 1/2 cups low-fat roasted garlic pasta sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse.

3. Combine ricotta cheese and next eight ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well. Spoon mixture evenly into pasta shells. Place shells in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon pasta sauce evenly over shells. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve warm. YIELD: 8 servings (serving size: 1 shell and about 1/2 cup sauce).

POINTS value: 4 points per serving.

Huevos Rancheros

(We love this one! It is a great Sunday lunch that is quick, easy and doesn't require much prep work. Sometimes we substitute the corn tortillas with flour and make it more of a burrito, this also adds a point. For a hearty supper, we have even added an additional 2 eggs, again adding an additional 2 points per serving. This recipe is from my tried and true Complete Cooking Light Cookbook.)

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles (do not drain)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (sometimes I even skip this to avoid chopping)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 (6-inch) corn tortillas

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons shredded 2% reduced fat cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chopped green onions (optional)

1. Combine first eight ingredients in a non-stick skillet; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes.

2. Warm tortillas according to package directions.

3. Break each egg into a small bowl or custard cup and slip egg from bowl into tomato mixture (try not to break the yolk). Cover and simmer seven minutes or until eggs are done; remove eggs with a slotted spoon. Place tortillas on individual plates; top with half of tomato mixture and one egg. Sprinkle each with one tablespoon cheese and one tablespoon green onions.

POINTS value: 6 points per serving

Chocolate Eclair Cake

(YUM. I make this one all the time, even when I'm not on WW. I used to bring it to sorority in Muleshoe and it is always a hit at a church potluck. It's just rich & tasty. And makes me smile. Your friends won't think for a minute that it's low-fat. It's from that same favorite: Complete Cooking Light Cookbook.)

1 box low-fat honey graham crackers (at least 22 1/2 sheets)

cooking spray

3 cups fat free (skim) milk

2 (3.4-ounce) packages sugar-free vanilla instant pudding mix

1 (8-ounce) tub fat-free cream cheese

1 (8-ounce) carton frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed

1/4 cup fat-free (skim) milk

2 tablespoons stick margarine or butter, softened

2 tablespoons honey

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1. Arrange 7 1/2 graham cracker sheets in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 3 cups milk, pudding mixes, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat at low speed on mixer 1 minute or until thick. Fold in whipped topping. Spread half of pudding mixture over graham crackers in dish, and top with 7 1/2 graham cracker sheets. Repeat procedure with remaining half of pudding mixture and 7 1/2 graham cracker sheets.

2. Combine 1/4 milk, butter, honey, and chocolate in a medium bowl, and beat well with mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar to chocolate mixture; beat well. Spread chocolate glaze over graham crackers. Cover dessert and chill for at least four hours. YIELD: 18 servings (serving size: 1 [3x2-inch] square).

POINTS value: 5 points per serving

Weight Watching TIP OF THE WEEK:

I thought it might also be fun to share the little tips and tricks we've all learned along the way to make being a "loser" a winning experience.

This week's tip is stolen from my good friend, Amanda, who has done an aMaZiNg job on Weight Watchers. We tried this a couple of nights ago and what a great trick:

When having baked potatoes, use a tablespoon or so of chicken broth to moisten your potato before adding all of your toppings. This keeps your potato yummy all the way down to the skin, long after the butter & sour cream are gone! And it is 0 points-- up to a cup of the fat free chicken broth only has 5 calories. Thanks, Amanda! We will never have dry potatoes again. Amanda suggested to me to just set out a bowl of broth with all of your other toppings and that's exactly what we did. We did warm the broth first. Try it the next time you enjoy a baked potato!