Creme De Menthe Brownies

Okay, it's no surprise at this point that I am a huge fan of the mint chocolate, especially at Christmas time. So, last year, while dedicating my life to the Food Network channel, Paula Deen blessed my life with mint brownies from heaven! These brownies are AMAZING and so rich. I just add entire Andes mints into the brownies, rather then the chips, mostly because mint chips are hard to come by here in Philly. Also, if you want a serious mint brownie, add mint extract into the frosting rather then vanilla. And for those of you that aren't mint fans (I got your back Jordan!), just add regular chocolate chips and you will have some killer fudgy brownies.


Thanks Paula Deen!!

Ingredients
1 cups (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 (10-ounce) package Creme de Menthe baking chips (recommended: Andes)
Shaved Creme de Menthe thins (recommended: Andes)
Chocolate frosting

Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Using an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, mixing well.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Gradually stir into butter mixture. Fold in mint chips. Spoon into greased pan. Bake for 35 minutes.

While brownies are baking, prepare frosting. Combine butter, cocoa, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and milk in a large mixing bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until dry ingredients are moistened. Beat at high speed until spreading consistency.

Remove pan from the oven and allow brownies to cool in pan on wire rack. Spread with chocolate frosting. Top with shaved mint thins.



*Baking Tip: If you plan to plate your bars, but hate that awkward process of cutting them and then digging them out of your pan, bake them in parchment paper. Then, once they are cooled and frosted, just lift them out of the pan, peel away the paper (it sticks to nothing), and you will be able to cut and plate them very cleanly and easily.

The Best Enchiladas Ever!!

I discovered this recipe about three or so years ago in the Body for Life cookbook. I LOVE these enchiladas so much and they are always the first thing I think of whenever I have leftover chicken or turkey in the fridge (I'm pretty sure this picture right here is made up of Thanksgiving leftovers). These enchiladas are packed full of flavor, incredibly filling, and they're really good for you. The biggest difference is that rather than using a red sauce, or a cream base, they're made with two huge cans of the Verde enchilada sauce, which I had shamefully never had until making these. Don't let the fact that you're not on a diet sway you from giving these a try, I would make them often even in a world where calories never counted (oh and what a world it would be!)

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast

4 green onions, sliced

2 TB fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno seeded and minced (if you get a hotter sauce, you may not need the jalapenos)

3 10 oz cans green enchilada sauce (I use 2 big 20-something oz cans, works just fine)

8 corn tortillas (I usually use at least 12)

1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup light sour cream

1 tomato, diced

1 can ripe olives, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Light coat a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.

2. Place chicken breast in large pot and cover with water, bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until no longer pink in the middle, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly, shred chicken with 2 forks.

3. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium high heat. Add green onion, cilantro and jalapeno; saute for two minutes. Add shredded chicken and 1 can of enchilada sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes.

4. Pour the 2 remaining cans of enchilada sauce in a medium bowl and microwave until warm, about two minutes. Dip each tortilla in the heated sauce and fill with about 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Roll up and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.

5. Pour remaining heated sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

6. Divide lettuce onto four plates and place a portion of enchiladas on top. Top with a spoonful of salsa, a dollop of sour cream, tomatoes and olives. Enjoy!

The only downside to this cookbook is that there is no nutritional info posted on the recipes, which is a pet peeve of mine for any cookbook. However, if you are a die hard points counter, the ingredients are simple enough, I don't think you would have much trouble calculating it yourself.

ALSO

I've been offered another blog award! This one also came from Priscilla at Priscilla Bakes. This girl really knows her stuff when it comes to baking, and I just recently discovered how young she is, which really threw me for a loop because she is so talented! Definitely check out her blog. Thanks again Priscilla!

I'm going to pass this on to Christine at Cooking with Christine. She's got some very fun recipes with great pictures and stories to go with them.

I'm also going to pass this on to Nicole at Test Kitchen Recipes. I actually just discovered her blog last night, but she had me immediately at fish tacos. She's also got a lot of wonderful family friendly recipes that I can't wait to try out.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday!

Turkey Lasagna

When I started WW I was a little bummed about losing out on lasagna, one of my favorites. And when I found this recipe, I was a little skeptical, because, let's face it, ground turkey just can't stand up to Italian sausage and ground beef. But I'll try anything once, and it turned out to be one of the best lasagne's I've ever made. The trick is to make sure you're seasoning everything just the way you want it before hand, and you won't even miss the heartier meats that you're used to. This entire pan disappeared in a matter of 24 hours, because the leftovers were just as popular as the dinner itself (first sign that it's a winner!). So if you are looking to be a little healthier, but you don't want to give up beloved lasagna, I definitely recommend this recipe!

Slightly adapted from Weight Watchers, Simply the Best

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

10 oz ground skinless turkey breast

1 onion chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 14 oz can tomato sauce

1/4 cup grated parmesean cheese

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried fennel seeds

12 no boil lasagna noodles

2 cups nonfat cottage cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp garlic salt

1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a large nonstick saucepan, heat the oil. Add the turkey, onion and garlic. Cook, stirring as needed, until the turkey is browned, and the onion and garlic are soft.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, parmesean, basil, oregano, and fennel, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until flavors are blended and sauce thickens.

4. Combine cottage cheese, egg, Italian seasoning and garlic salt until blended evenly.

5. Spoon one-third of the sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan; top with 3 noodles; spread with half of the cottage cheese, and top with 3 more noodles. Repeat the layering once more, ending with the sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on top.

6. Bake, covered for one hour; uncover and bake until cooked through and golden, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Make 8 Servings

Points per serving: 6

Per serving: 275 cal, 5g fat, 2g sat fat, 37 mg chol, 359 mg sod, 31g carb, 2g fiber, 26g prot, 202g calcium

Swedish pancakes

These pancakes were actually discovered and prepared by my husband, who is the breakfast guru at our house. They are delicious, and pretty; great for the holidays. They have the flavor of a pancake, but the consistency and flavor of a crepe, so if you are a fan of both you're set. I would also highly recommend eating them with your favorite berry syrup.

Ingredients

2 cups milk

4 eggs

1 TB canola oil

1-1/2 cups flour

3 TB sugar

1/4 tsp salt

favorite berry syrup, or warmed jam or fruit spread

whipped cream

Directions

1. In a blender, combine the first six ingredients. Cover and process until blended. Heat a lightly greased 8-inch nonstick skillet; pour 1/4 cup batter into center of each. Lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer.

2. Repeat with remaining batter, adding oil to skillet as needed. Stack pancakes with waxed paper or paper towels in between. Reheat in the microwave if desired.

3. Fold pancake into quarters; serve with syrup and whipped topping.

Ebelskivers

A few years ago I had breakfast with some friends who served me these delicious pancake balls. They were so cute, and so fun and all I could keep thinking was what a fun holiday tradition. You know, it could be one of those things where years later, while my kids list off our holiday traditions they would always add "and mom made ebelskivers every Christmas morning!" So I went home, got online and bought the special ebelskiver pan on the spot, Christmas spirit in tow.

As of yet, I haven't actually had the opportunity to make these for Christmas morning, but we do make them often and the kids LOVE them, especially my boy, who is a picky little bugger. The fun part about them is that you stuff them with your favorite filling, so you can really go crazy experimenting. Our favorite is frozen blueberries that have been thawed and macerated in sugar. But you can fill them with applesauce, strawberries, raspberries, I've even heard of using pie filling, like pumpkin! You can sprinkle them with powdered sugar or soak them in your favorite syrup. The Ebelskiver pans are easy to find, on the internet at least. I would start at Amazon, or Williams Sonoma and start there. If you are looking for a cool breakfast idea, I would give these babies a whirl!

Ingredients

4 eggs, separated

1 TB sugar

2 cups cake flour (regular works fine too)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup melted shortening

Scant 2 cups milk

Berries of choice for filling

Directions

Beat egg yolk, beat in sugar. Combine dry ingredients. Add alternately with shortening and milk. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Fold into batter. Grease ebelskiver pan. Heat until smoking. Fill depressions with about 1/2 tsp, add filling, cover filling with another half tsp. When cooked on bottom, turn with two forks, or just use a spoon and your fingers, careful not to burn yourself! Cook the other side. Regrease pan between batches.

My OBSESSION

I rediscovered these sinful morsels going through the Hershey Factory over Thanksgiving. If you are a fan of all things chocolate-mint, you must stock up on these treasures. Mmm, this will be a short blog because I'm going to go get one now!

Crockpot Spicy Bean Soup

This is one of those recipes invented in the midst of scarcity. My pantry is always stocked with a variety of beans, broths and all types of tomato (sauces, diced, pureed) which always come in handy, especially when I'm low on ideas and food! So when I had a thawed 1/2 pound of beef in my fridge, behold this soup! My whole family loved it and it didn't take long before it was completely devoured. It's packed with flavor, and very healthy.

Ingredients

1/2lb-1lb ground beef or turkey

1 minced onion

4-5 stalks celery, chopped

2 cups diced carrots

2 15-oz cans chili beans, pinto beans or kidney beans (whatever you like really), drained and rinsed

2 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (if you don't like spicy foods, just use regular diced tomatoes)

2 cups beef, chicken or veggie broth (mine was a combination of all of them, because it's what I had in my fridge!)

1 TB garlic salt

1 TB parsley

1 TB dried oregano

1 TB cumin

1 tsp black pepper

1-2 TB chili powder

Directions

1. Brown beef or turkey and onions in a large nonstick skillet over med heat. Add carrots and celery and cook until just wilted. Place in a slow cooker.

2. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine.

3. Cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours.

4. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers and shredded cheddar cheese.

Roasted Butternut Squash

This is actually the first year I've even tried cooking any type of winter squash, and now that I have, where has it been all my life!? It's so simple, delicious and healthy. This is an incredibly simple recipe that didn't require rocket science to come up with, but I wanted to post it for those of you that have never tried butternut squash, go try it!

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into uniform pieces

2 TB low calorie butter

1/3 cup brown sugar (or Splenda sub)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions

Combine squash and butter and toss until butter coats squash evenly. Add sugar, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Arrange evenly on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 15-25 minutes, or until fork tender. Remove from oven and immediately toss squash with spatula (otherwise the sugar sticks to the pan and gets really hard). Enjoy, it's as good as candy!

Black Forest Tart, and my first award!

I'm kind of excited about this, and I have to thank Priscilla, from Priscilla Bakes for this cute award! I strongly recommend her blog for any of you baking fans, she's got some great recipes, and beautiful pictures to go with them, so fun!

So, I'd like to pass this on to Rebecca's Sugarbliss etc blog, which is an awesome blog with very fun and creative ideas for you fellow bakers.

I'd also like to pass this one to Melanie, at My Kitchen Cafe (link on side). I check her blog regularly for fun and family friendly recipes, and I love it!

Okay, now for the food! I LOVE Christmas time because it means Christmas FOOD! There is nothing better then spending a cold afternoon in the kitchen baking goods while the rich aroma fills your home. Mmmm, magic!

This was my first holiday endeavor, which I made for my husband's birthday. He is a fan of anything chocolate, especially when it includes cherries. And I don't know what it is about tarts, but I really love them. They are a bit denser and more concentrated in flavor then a pie, and in a way they remind me of a big cookie! This was a lot of fun to make, and as you can see, it doesn't come out too hard on the eyes either!

If you haven't bought a tart pan yet, be sure to get one with a removable bottom, it will make your life so much easier! Also, if you ever have a pastry that requires this kind of topping that you drizzle, a little trick I discovered is to get a disposable pastry bag, which are really cheap at the craft store, or just a plastic bag, fill it with your topping, snip off the very tip and pipe it on. This way it comes out looking a lot more uniform and you don't run the risk of clumps.

Also, this tart will be the very best if served the day you make it.

Ingredients

1 -1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs

1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cups butter melted

filling:

1/2 cup butter

6 squares (1 ounce each) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

3 eggs

2/3 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cups all purpose flour

topping:

1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling

2 squares (1 ounce each) semi sweet chocolate, chopped

1 TB heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a lightly greased 11-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt until thickened, about 4 minutes. Blend in chocolate mixture. Add flour, mix well.

3. Pour into crust; spread evenly. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Spread pie filling over the top. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and cream. Microwave on high for 20-30 seconds or until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over tart. Chill until set.

12 servings

Mexican Potato Casserole

I really love this dish, it's a fun lowfat spin on meat and potatoes that the kids devour. It's also very easy and very comforting. It have slightly adapted it from Weight Watchers, Simply the Best. You must try this casserole.

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 green bell peppers seeded and chopped
8 scallions, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles (Rotelle)
1 TB chili powder
1 TB ground cumin
1 TB garlic powder (I use garlic salt, of course)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 large baking potatoes scrubbed and thinly sliced
3/4 cup nonfat cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the beef, bell peppers, and scallions; cook, stirring as needed, until the beef is browned and the vegetables are softened, 6-8 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt; cook, stirring as needed, until the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes.

4. Arrange alternate layers of the potatoes and beef mixture in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes; uncover and sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Bake until the potatoes are cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes longer.

4 Servings
Points per serving 7
327 cal, 10g fat, 3g sat fat, 46mg chol, 386mg sod, 37g carb, 6g fib, 27g prot

Cranberry Sauce

I don't have a picture of this just yet, but I will be sure to download it once I get it. I made this last year before I started food blogging, aka-before I started taking pictures of everything I made, Glenn rolls his eyes every time!

Even if you are a partial fan of cranberry sauce, you should really try making it home made, just once! It's delicious, beautiful, and you'll impress a your family and friends with a very simple recipe. You can make it a few days in advance since it has to chill anyway. This recipe makes enough to feed a large crowd, and it's great for leftovers too. Use it in your turkey sandwiches, or use it as a chutney by spreading it on top of a cracker with cream cheese, delicious!

Happy Holiday baking everyone!!


Ingredients

1 pound (4 cups) fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 whole orange, unpeeled, seeds removed, and chopped fine
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Sprinkle ground cinnamon

Directions

Wash cranberries and set aside.
Bring sugar and water to a boil. Add cranberries, oranges, and cloves. Simmer over a high flame, stirring frequently, until berries pop open. Add crushed pineapple, walnuts, and cinnamon, and blend. Cool and serve.

(Once cooled, it will have the thickness of jello. And if your frigde is already packed full, cover in plastic wrap and put on your porch. If it's as cold there as it is here in Philly, it will cool just fine!)

Spiced Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding

I have to thank Picky Palate (link in side bar), for this wonderful recipe. This was another one of those experiences where I happened to have a ridiculous amount of brown rice in my fridge, as well as about a cup of pumpkin, I have weird leftovers. Anyway, I was so excited to find this recipe because it looks like the epitome of a comforting fall treat, as well as a great way to spare my leftovers from going to waste, one of my biggest pet peeves! I was a little apprehensive to use brown rice in a rice pudding, but it actually plumped up great and did the job. Of course, that isn't to say that the jasmine rice wouldn't be so much creamier and delicious! If you are a fan of rice pudding, you must try this recipe.

Spiced Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding

Ingredients

3 Cups cooked jasmine rice
2 ½ Cups 2% milk
¾ Cup prepared pumpkin puree, such as Libby’s
½ Cup granulated sugar
¼ Cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 inch cinnamon stick (I didn't have and it turned out fine)
1 fresh vanilla bean (I just added a tsp vanilla extract)

Directions
1. Place cooked rice, milk, pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and cinnamon stick into a medium dutch oven or heavy bottom pan over medium low heat. Stir to combine. Split vanilla bean in half length wise and scrape out the seeds with the back of the knife. Add seeds and split bean into rice mixture; stir to combine. Let rice simmer for 15-20 minutes or until thick and creamy. Before serving discard vanilla bean halves and cinnamon stick. Sprinkle tops of each bowl with brown sugar if desired.
6 servings

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

I love the world of food blogging, there are so many great food blogs out there that I could probably spend all day cruising them! I found this gem on mykitchencafe.blogspot.com, who in turn found it on prudencepennywise.blogspot.com. It was a great find at a time when I had no dinner plans and no ambition to spend time in the kitchen.

This recipe is DELICIOUS and so easy that it almost shouldn't be allowed. It will most definitely become a regular in our house. I added a WW friendly alternative, but either way will be great. I will also add that if you are sensitive to meat that has a sweet flavor, you may want to alter the amount of brown sugar in it, but I personally loved the sweetness. It was wonderful on tacos but I absolutely loved it on a bed of brown rice with a side of steamed peas, ah, slurpalicious! Next time I make this I'm doubling it because I was sad when I ate the rest of the leftovers!

Sweet and Spicy Slow-Cooker Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts1

(14 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained (if you are interested in a really spicy chicken, use Rotelle

1/3 cup brown sugar (use Splenda brown sugar to save calories)

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Coat the inside of your crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, or until chicken shreds very easily with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Chicken will absorb liquid after it is shredded.) Serve in tacos or however your little heart desires.

1 serving=1/2 cup chicken (when using Splenda)

2 points per serving

If you do put this on rice, 1/2 cup of white or brown rice is 2 pts

Baked Chicken and Ziti

Again, I'm sorry about the poor photography on my blog, it's a talent I have yet to develop!

This is one of those recipes that has become an ever-occurring incidence in our home. It's rich, wholesome, LOWFAT, and the kids love it. The best thing about this recipe is that after I make it once, I always have enough ingredients to make it again and freeze it, (or you could be smart about it, double the recipe and do it all at once, why didn't I think of that!) When I made it the second time to freeze it, I put it in two 8x8 disposable pans, covered it in foil and wrote the baking directions. It's a meal that keeps on giving!

Adapted from Weight Watchers, Simply the Best

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 cups ziti
2/3 cup fat free ricotta cheese
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce

1 TB Italian seasoning (I also love pizza seasoning in this)

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/3 cup mozz cheese

2 TB parm cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring as needed, until the mixture is thickened slightly, 8-10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook the ziti according the package directions. Drain and mix with the ricotta cheese.

4. Pour half of the tomato mixture into a 13x9 inch pan, layer with ziti mixture, the chicken and the remaining tomato mixture. Sprinkle wih the cheese. Bake until hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted, 15-20 minutes.

4 Servings

Serving Size-1/4 of casserole

381 cal, 5g fat, 2g sat fat, 40mg chol, 209mg sod, 52g total carbs, 3g dietary fiber, 31g prot

7 Points per serving

Pumpkin Spice Biscuits with Cinnamon Butter

I found this recipe in the November issue of Cooking Light (can't say enough about Cooking Light, I always get my money's worth out of that magazine). I was expecting them to be a little more sweet, but they were delicious the way they were. They are only sweetened with honey, so there is a tiny hint of sweetness, but you still get the rich pumpkin spice flavor, and they are wonderfully aromatic. I tried smearing honey on them, as I usually do with biscuits, but it drowned out the pumpkin taste. So I made a very simple cinnamon-sugar (Splenda) butter to go with them, which was a perfect compliment. My kids snarfed these down, my husband loved them and the best news, if you are on WW, only three points a biscuit (or one if you made them teeny-tiny like I did!)

Ingredients

9 oz all purpose flour (about two cups)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp salt

5 TB chilled butter, cut into small pieces (the smaller the pieces, the easier it will be to combine with flour)

1/3 cup fat-free buttermilk

3 TB honey

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles a course meal. Chill 10 minutes.

3. Combine buttermilk, honey and pumpkin, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist.

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly four times. Roll dough into a (1/2-inch thick) 9x5 inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds (as if folding a piece of paper to fit into an envelope, this will give your biscuit it's flaky layers). Reroll dough into a (1/2 inch thick) 9x5 inch rectangle; dust top of dough with flour. Fold dough crosswise into thirds; gently roll or pat to a 3/4 inch thickness. Cut dough with a 1 3/4 inch biscuit cutter to form 14 dough rounds. Place dough rounds, 1 inch apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 or until golden (my tiny biscuits only needed seven minutes). Remove from pan; cool two minutes on wire racks. Serve warm.

14 Servings

Serving Size: 1 biscuit

121cal, 4.2g fat, 2.4g prot, 18.4g carb, 0.5g fib, 11mg chol

3 points per serving

Cinnamon Butter

3-4 TB low cal butter

1-2 TB Splenda

1-2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients, add more or less to taste

1/2 tsp=1 pt

Chicken Tetrazzini

I really liked this recipe because, it's lowfat and WW friendly for one, but it also act as a great "blank slate" for whatever extra flavors you want to add to it. You could easily sub tuna, or even steak for a different, but delicious casserole.

When I made this, I added red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, as well as some garlic salt (of course). It was warm and comfy in our bellies, and the kids loved it, which always makes it a winner!

Ingredients
2 tsp unsalted stick marg
2 celery stalks, diced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 TB all purpose flour
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup shredded reduced fat cheese
1 cup cubed skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup cooked elbow macaroni
1/2 cup frozen peas
7 fat free saltine crackers crumbled (I used breadcrumbs)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a large nonstick saucepan melt the marg. Add the celery and scallions; cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, about three minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted.
4. Stir in the chicken, macaroni, and peas; cook, stirring as needed, until heated through and the peas are thawed, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a 1 1/2 quart casserole; top with cracker crumbs. Bake until crackers are lightly browned, about ten minutes.

Makes 2 servings
Serving Size: 1/2 of casserole
Per Serving: 406 cal, 10g fat, 4g sat fat, 64 mg chol, 410mg sod, 3g fiber
8 points per serving

Butterflied Cuban Style Pork Chops

As you well know, I really love pork chops, but I needed a new idea for the fresh new package in my fridge just waiting for an adventure. I went to the Food Network site (best site in the universe), typed "pork chops" and picked the very first one that came up. The recipe, designed by Bobby Flay, had my eyebrows raised for a moment, but all the different flavors combined really added up to something delicious! If you're in the mood for an adventure, I highly recommend this recipe.


Ingredients
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh oregano leaves
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup canola oil
4 (8-ounce) pork chops, butterflied and thinly pounded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 (1/4-inch) thick slices Swiss cheese
8 (1/4-inch) thick slices boiled ham
2 sour dill pickles, thinly sliced (need about 16 slices)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions
Heat the grill to high.
Whisk together 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, 3 tablespoons oregano, the garlic, cumin, and canola oil in a large baking dish. Add the pork and turn to coat. Cover and let marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Remove the pork from the marinade and pat dry. Place the chops on a flat surface, cut-side up and season with salt and pepper. Place 1 slice of cheese, 2 slices of ham, a few slices of pickle and another slice of cheese on 1 half of the chop. Fold over brush the top with oil and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Place the chops on the grill, oil side down and grill until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chops over and continue grilling until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese has melted, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
Whisk the remaining orange and lime juices, oregano, and the cilantro with the olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon over the chops and serve.

Orzo with Feta and Tomatoes

Okay, so maybe this isn't exactly a weight loss dish, but it is melt-in-your mouth delicious and will compliment many of your main dishes. Thank Rachael Ray for this one!

Ingredients
1/2 pound orzo
Salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup feta cheese crumbles
A handful of parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Heat water in large sauce pot to boil and add pasta, cook to al dente.
Melt butter in the pot while still hot and combine with feta. Add cooked pasta to feta butter and toss with parsley and tomatoes, season with a little pepper.

Pierogies

If you are a salad lover, such as myself, but find yourself in a salad rut, might I suggest these fun little potato dumplings to your leafy cuisine. Now I don't know if pierogies are an eastern thing, or if I just never discovered them until coming back east, but I finally just bought some, not having any clue what to do with them. Fortunately I rediscovered them in my freezer while suffering from the salad-blahs and found them to be fabulous on my bed of greens. They are small or large dumplings usually filled with a potato and cheese combo, they are soft, warm and velvety and give a great contrast to your crunchy lettuce. My favorite dressings are either french, or any kind of vinaigrette. Mmmm, go get some!

Spooky Eight Layer Bean Dip

I may have just added the spider web as an excuse to make an eight layer bean dip for a Halloween party! I know that these kinds of bean dips are common and made frequently, but I'm actually pretty proud of mine, it's so yummy! The picture shows the bean dip in a smaller pan, but I'm going to give the recipe for a 9x13, just because it's easier. If you want it smaller, just half it, there's really no science to it.

Ingredients

1 can refried beans

1 8oz pkge sour cream

1 8oz pkge cream cheese

1 pkge dry taco mix

1 1/2 cups guacamole or diced avocados

1 can sliced olives

1 bunch slices scallions

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

3 tomatoes seeded and chopped

1 head romaine or iceburg lettuce chopped

Directions

With your kitchen mixer combine sour cream, cream cheese and taco seasoning. Beat until smooth. In 9x13 inch pan spread refried beans, cream cheese mixture, guacamole, olives, scallions, tomatoes, cheese and lettuce. Chill until served. Serve with tortilla chips.

Breakfast Taco

While this isn't anything too exciting or original, it's quite delicious, and may help in aiding your "breakfast boredom," something I tend to get about once a week. It's also very light and very filling!

Ingredients

1 small corn tortilla (1 pt)

1/4 cup refried beans (1 pt)

1/8 cup shredded cheddar or mozz (1 pt)

1 scrambled egg (2 pts)

1/8 cup red onion (0 pts)

1/4 avocado diced (optional, avocado does add more fat, 2 pts)

salsa

fat free sour cream

cilantro

Directions

Arrange refried beans and cheese in center of tortilla and heat in microwave for 30 seconds (I know, this is some high-tech cooking!). Add onion, egg, avocado, salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

Enjoy!

*And hey, if you are working to "health-en" up and trim down, like I am, refried beans are a GREAT appetite suppressor. 1 cup is 2 pts, meaning it's really low in fat and calories, and really high in fiber. Plus the density and amount will fill your belly like you won't believe. I love it!

Black Bean and Corn Enchilada Egg Bake

What's this? My first breakfast recipe! I'm going to take this opportunity to come out of the, ahem, pantry, and admit that I am not a breakfast lover. On a few occasions nothing makes me happier the a Moons Over My Hammy at Denny's, but for the most part, I'd much rather have your regular, run of the mill, non-morning food. However, I do love eggs, and beans, and cheese, so I was pretty excited to make, and eat this recipe. Before you glance at it and decide to make it tomorrow however, know now that it needs to sit and soak for at least four hours. That gets me every time!

I will give you the recipe, and then I will include my changes afterward (my changes=always better!)

Ingredients

10 (6 in) corn tortillas

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (11 oz) can vacuum packed whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained

1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed nacho cheese soup

6 eggs

2 cups milk

1 tsp cumin

2 oz (half cup) shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 red bell pepper, if desired

3 sprigs fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Grease 13x9 inch baking dish. Arrange and overlap 6 tortillas on bottom of dish. Spoon beans and corn evenly over tortillas. Spoon cheese evenly over vegetables. Cut remaining tortillas into 1 inch strips; arrange over top.

2. In large bowl, combine eggs, milk and cumin, beat well, Pour over tortilla strips. Cover tightly, refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

3. Heat oven to 325 F. Uncover dish, sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 325 F for 55 to 60 minutes or until eggs are set. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

4. To serve cut into squares. If desired top with sour cream, salsa, red peppers and cilantro

My Changes

I like the fiesta nacho cheese soup that Campbell's makes, it just has a lot more flavor. I also incorporate a can of spicy Rotelle in with the veggies to give it a great kick and color. And if you like a really fluffy egg, use the two cups of milk, but on accident I forgot the milk completely, and it was a bit denser, but also seemed a lot more packed with flavor. Perhaps you could meet in the middle and just put one cup of milk in! Anyway, have fun with this recipe, it's one that I love to play with!

4 pts per serving

Serving size: 1/12 of recipe

cal 190, 7g fat, 3g sat fat, 115mg chol, 420mg sod, 22g carb, 3g fiber, 5g sugar, 10g prot

Turkey Rolls Cordon Bleu

I really love this recipe, it's fun and easy and it keeps everyone at the table happy. It's also low fat/calorie and weight watchers compatible.

Ingredients

4 1/4 lb turkey cutlets raw

4 (1 oz) slices reduced sodium ham

2 (1 oz) slices reduced fat Swiss cheese (not always easy to find, so if it's crucial you have a low fat cheese, use mozz)

3 TB plain dry bread crumbs

1 TB reduced cal mayo

1/4 cup dry white wine (I just sub with chicken broth)

1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1 tsp butter

Directions

1. Top each cutlet with a slice of ham and then a half slice of cheese. Roll up jelly-roll fashion and secure with toothpicks.

2. Spread the bread crumbs on a plate or a sheet of wax paper. Bush the turkey rolls with mayo; dip in the crumbs, pressing down to coat.

3. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the turkey rolls and saute until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, broth, and butter; bring to a boil. Cover reduce the heat, and simmer until the turkey is cooked through and the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes longer.

5 points per serving (1 roll)

234 cal, 6g fat, 3g sat fat, 95mg chol, 434mg sod, 5g carb, 0g fiber, 37g prot, 125mg calc

For a good side dish, cook medium shells according to directions. After cooking turkey rolls, add 1/4-1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine to skillet to deglaze the bits in the pan. Add favorite herbs and seasonings (garlic salt, parsley and maybe red pepper flakes), and add pasta. Toss to coat. DELISH!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Being new to this whole food blog experience, it has dawned on me now that this is probably one of those things that I should have posted about a month ago, and not after Halloween. Forgive the rookie? Anyway, this is one of those dishes that is full of nostalgia for me because my mom has made this every Halloween for as long as I can remember. I know it seems weird to eat something that was cooked in a pumpkin, but it is so delicious and very comforting. Plus, if you like winter squash, then you will love the soft cooked pumpkin on the inside, mmm. It's like a cross between spaghetti squash and butternut squash, and now that I'm an adult, it's probably my favorite part. You should really try this at least once, it won't disappoint.

Ingredients:

1 small-medium pumpkin

1 onion chopped

1 lb hamburger

2 TB soy sauce

2 TB brown sugar

1 can cream of chicken soup

1-2 cups of cooked rice

1 can sliced water chestnuts

Directions:

Cut off top of pumpkin and clean. Saute meat and onions until cooked-drain. Add soy sauce, brown sugar and soup. Simmer 10 minutes. Add rice adn water chestnuts. Spoon into pumpkin and replace top. Place pumpkin on cookie sheet. Bake one hour or until tender.

Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

I got this recipe from Ellie Krieger off the Food Network and I love it. It's incredibly easy and require little work. And it's low-fat, which you will hopefully seeing a lot more as I am trying to "health-en" it up around here!

Ingredients

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 TB brown sugar

2 TB dry sherry (if you omit this, it's just as good)

2 TB rice vinegar

2 garlic cloves, crushed with a garlic press, or minced

1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 pounds skinless chicken thighs (I get boneless and skinless thighs)

2 tsp sesame seeds

Directions

Combine the soy sauce, sugar, sherry, vinegar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and stir until sugar dissolves. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and add the chicken. Seal the bag and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator, turning once, for 1-4 hours.

Heat the broiler to high. Arrange the chicken on a broiler pan skin side down and broil until brown and crispy, 8-10 minutes. Flip the chicken and broil until almost cooked through, about 8 minutes longer. Sprinkle with seeds and cook until the seeds turn golden brown and the chicken is done, 1-2 minutes longer.

Food Tips

1. Fresh ginger is the best, but it can be annoying because you have to buy a huge piece of it, to only use a tip. Fortunately it freezes great, so just place in a zip lock and throw in the freezer until your next use.

2. If you are not a fan of cooking with wine or sherry (I can't stand it, I've tried so many times and just ended up dry heaving from the smell), it's usually an ingredient that can be omitted, or substituted with whatever broth or stock is most appropriate. Of course, some recipes are "wine based" so you may just want to forget about cooking those completely.

Cheddar Chive Muffins

These were great because they are quite versatile. They have chives in them, which makes them a savory muffin for dinner, but still are just as delicious if you smear honey on them for breakfast. They are also potato based, which makes them so tender and delicious hot out of the oven, sheesh, now I'm craving them again!

1-1/4 cups milk

3/4 cups mashed potato flakes (or pearls)

1 egg

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1-2/3 cups all purpose flour

3 TB sugar

2 TB minced chives

1 TB dried parsley flakes

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1. In a small saucepan, bring mild to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in potato flakes. Let stand for 2 minutes. Whip with a fork until smooth; cool slightly. Transfer to a large bowl. Beat in the egg, oil and cheese. Combine the flour, sugar, chives, parsley, baking powder and salt; stir into potato mixture just until moistened (batter will be thick).

2. Fill greased muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Cherry Almond Chews

Aren't they pretty? They are such delicious cookies, with a great festive look. If you are at all a fan of coconut, or anything flavored with almond extract (one of my favorite extracts), you will love these cookies.

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 tsp almond extract

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2-1/2 cups flaked coconut

3/4 cups almonds or pecans, chopped (optional, mine were just fine without them)

1 jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in coconut and nuts.

2. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Place a cherry half in the center of each. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Is there anything more healing and comforting then homemade chicken noodle soup? For me, even making it is a therapeutic process that continues to give aid every year when the weather gets cool. I make a huge pot of it, then live off of it for about a week, I never get sick of it! A lot of people out there have their traditional ways of making it, but for those of you who haven't ventured to make homemade chicken noodle soup, this is how I make mine. Remember, the measurements of the ingredients are rough, so don't be afraid to put in more or less of whatever you want.

Ingredients

1 med sized whole chicken, giblets removed

1 box chicken broth

1-2 onions chopped

6-7 carrots peeled and chopped

6-7 stalks of celery chopped

1 bag of frozen egg noodles (if you can't find frozen, use dried egg noodles, or make your own)

1/2 jar of Better then Bouillon, or any chicken bullion base.

(This stuff is so much better for your soup then the grains, or squares of bouillon. It's not hard to find either.)

1-2 tsp black pepper

1-2 TB dried or fresh parsley

Directions

Place whole chicken in large soup pan and cover entirely with water. Boil chicken in pan for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until chicken is completely cooked through. Remove chicken from water and let cool. Reserve water.

If you would like a less fattening soup, let water sit and cool, even overnight if you'd like, and skim off top layer of fat. If you want the fat from the chicken (does make a much more flavorful soup), you can use the water right away.

After chicken has cooled, remove all meat from the bones and cut into bite sized pieces.

Strain water with cheesecloth to remove any chicken bits and place on med heat. Add chicken broth until pan is a little over halfway full (remember, I use the largest pan I have, and I don't always use the entire box of broth). Add carrots, onions and celery. Let simmer until veggies are softened. Add noodles and bouillon. Add bouillon in small amounts and wait a minute or two before adding more, tasting in between. Add enough to your satisfaction. Once noodles are softened, add chicken, parsley and black pepper. Serve hot with a piece of crusty french bread and a Diet Coke (at least, that's how I would enjoy it!)

Riconee

Life just wouldn't be as great without pasta, agreed? My mom used to make this for us all the time, and I love it. It's very similar to lasagna, the biggest difference being that it's made with shells, but it still holds it's own as being a unique and comforting dish.

3 cups medium shells

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 cup +2 TB Parm cheese

1 lb ground beef

1 medium onion chopped fine

1 16 oz can tomatoes

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp basil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 cups shredded mozzerella

1 cup shredded swiss cheese

1/4 cup cottage cheese

Cook shells, rinse w/ cold water, let cool and stir in egg and 1/4 cup parm. Brown beef and onions until tender and add tomatoes, paste and spices. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Combine all cheeses and mix together. In 13x9 inch pan, layer shell mixture, half cheese mixture, then half meat mixture. Repeat. Sprinkle top w/ 2TB parm. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes.

Oven baked chicken nuggets

It's fun to see what kind of inventions you can come up with when your cupboard is getting bare!

This is one of those times to pull out that notorious bottle of salad dressing that is quickly reaching that horrible date stamped to it's side, marking the end of it's time! I've done this with ranch and honey mustard as well, and it always turns out great! Plus, the kids love them.

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup italian dressing (or whatever dressing sounds good)
1 cup italian breadcrumbs (or plain, I've also used crush cornflakes, or crackers. I've even used Honey Bunches and Oats cereal, it was all great!)

Use two round cake pans, one for your dressing, one for your breadcrumbs. Cut chicken into "nugget" sized pieces. Coat chicken pieces in dressing, and then coat in breadcrumbs. Spread chicken pieces evenly on a sprayed cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked completely through. Be sure not to overcook.

Chili

Oh how I love chili, especially in the colder months. It's warm, it's hearty, it's delicious. Chili is one of the best things to make when you're trying to clean out your pantry, or you are low on food. You could really add so many things to chili and it would be great. This is a recipe I saw made on Paula Dean's show, and it's really wonderful, as well as so easy, just be sure to give yourself enough time. I usually use this as my "base" recipe and then add a few things to make it my own. I love to add more veggies like corn and garbanzo beans to give it more color, and nutrients. I also love Worchestershire and dried ground mustard for more richness, and of course, garlic salt!

Ingredients
1 pound mixed ground beef and sausage, browned and drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper diced
2 cups chopped celery
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes
Ground cumin
Chili powder
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 package chili seasoning mix (I use two!)
Shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onions, for garnish
Directions
In a skillet brown ground beef and sausage, drain and set aside.

Spray large pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, and celery and saute briefly. Stir in the diced and whole tomatoes. Add cumin and chili powder, to taste, and cook for about 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the beans, browned meat, and chili seasoning. Partially cover, and let simmer for 4 hours.

Grilled Sandwiches

I would just like to remind everyone that I am not a food photographer, I kind of suck at it actually. Hopefully in the far future I can pick up some mad camera skills, as well as a mad new camera.

I am a sandwich fanatic, I LOVE them, and the bigger and more outrageous they are, the better! One of the things on my wish list is a panini press, because I love gooey hot sandwiches, the kind full of melty cheese, spicy meats, and yummy veggies. Mmmm. But, since I don't have a panini press yet, I've had to be a little creative with my sandwiches. And they aren't bad at all!

1. My favorite bread for the grilled sandwich is french bread, that I usually hollow out. That way the bulk of your sandwich isn't lost in a world of bread, and your sandwich comes out crustier.

2. I spread mayo and mustard on each side, as well as a red wine vinegar, or italian dressing for an extra zing. Then I load full of toppings such as ham, salami, pepperoni, turkey, red onion, tomato, baby spinach, cheddar and provolone cheese.

3. Carefully put sandwich together and cut in half if necessary. Place sandwich on skillet, preferably a long electric skillet if you have one. Press sandwich together and use a second skillet or heavy pan to set on top of sandwich to keep firmly pressed.

4. Once one side is brown, warm and crispy, flip, and cook opposite side. Be sure that cheeses are melted and veggies have wilted.

5. Slice and serve immediately.

If you aren't as interested in having a crispy sandwich, you can wrap it in foil and bake it in the oven at 375 for about twenty minutes. Keep it wrapped in foil and it will stay warm for a while, for things like picnics!

Grilled Chicken and Pesto Farfalle

Oh be still my beating heart! I knew when I saw this recipe that I was going to HAVE to make it. I LOVE pesto, and just when I thought nothing could beat the homeade stuff (I'm pretty proud of my pesto), I found a brand at the grocery store that was pretty dang good! Now I have a little left over to spread over my bread, mix in with my eggs, or just eat off with a spoon (no I would never do that...or would I!). Anyway, it's Buittoni, and it's in the refrigerator section, often with their specialty foods. If you are a pesto lover, you will love this recipe.

This recipe comes from Cooking Light and makes a TON. Even when halving it, I still ended up with about two servings leftover. Just thought you should know! :-)

Ingredients

1 3/4 pounds skinless. boneless chicken breast halves

1 tsp salt divided

3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper divided

Cooking spray

20 ounces uncooked farfalle (bowtie pasta)

1 TB butter

3 garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 cups 1 % low-fat milk, divided

2 TB all purpose flour

1 (3.5 ounce) jar pesto-about 1/3 cup (I used quite a bit more!)

3/4 half and half (get fat free, it's just as good)

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

4 cups halved grape tomatoes (about two pints)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Prepare grill to medium high heat.
2. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes, or until done, turning after 6 minutes. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch pieces; keep warm
3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Place pasta in a large bowl.
4. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Combine 1/2 cup milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in pesto. Gradually add remaining 1 cup milk and half-and-half, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 8 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Add 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, remaining 3/4 tsp salt, remaining 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1 cup cheese; stir until cheese melts.
5. Add chicken and sauce to pasta, tossing well to coat. Add tomatoes and basil; toss gently. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 10 servings.