Autumn Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients
2 pounds ground turkey
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 box chicken stock
1 bag frozen corn
1 bag cranberries
4 sweet potatoes
1 russet potato
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch allspice
1 cup skim milk
1/2 stick butter

Preheat oven to 350.
Peel potatoes and cut into large pieces.
Roast potatoes until tender.

Brown turkey, then remove from pan.

Cook celery, onions, and carrots.
Add 2 tbsp butter, then whisk in flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly.
Add turkey back into pan.
Add stock and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes.

When potatoes are tender, mash them in a bowl with 1/2 stick of butter and milk.
Mix in cinnamon and allspice.

Add turkey mixture to the bottom of casserole dish.
Mix together corn and cranberries, and add them on top of turkey mixture.
Add mashed potatoes and smooth over the top.

Bake for about a half hour, until top is brown.
Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Bangin Good Shrimp

*NOTE: This recipe comes directly from the Skinnytaste blog with very few minimal tweaks by me. I enjoyed it so much I had to post it here. If you enjoy this, go check out Gina's blog for yourself!*

Ingredients
Sauce:
3 tbsp light mayo
3 tbsp thai sweet chili sauce
1-2 tsp sriracha
Shrimp:
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined (weight after peeled)
2-3 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp canola oil
3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
4 tbsp scallions, chopped

In a small bowl, combine mayo, thai sweet chili sauce, and sriracha.
Set aside.

Combine lettuce and cabbage and divide between 4 plates.
Set aside.

Coat shrimp with cornstarch, mixing well with your hands.

Heat a large skillet or wok on high heat, then add oil.
When oil is hot, add shrimp to hot pan and cook, tossing a few times until cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Remove from pan and combine with sauce, coating well.

Serve shrimp over lettuce mixture and top with scallions.

Dragon's Breath Chili

Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
1 large onion, diced
3 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes, divided
3 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp seasoned pepper
2 4oz cans mushroom pieces
1 28oz can baked beans
2 15oz cans kidney beans with liquid
2 6oz cans tomato paste
1/8 cup sugar
3 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2-3 jalapeno peppers, diced
1/4 cup beer
hto sauce (to taste)
1/3 cup barbeque sauce

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown meat together with onion, 1 tbsp red pepper flakes, garlic, and seasoned pepper.
Drain off fat, and place mixture into slow cooker.

Stir in mushrooms, baked beans, kidney beans with liquid, tomato paste, sugar, carrots, celery, peppers, beer, and barbeque sauce.
Season with hot sauce and remainder of red pepper flakes.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Pulled Buffalo Chicken

Ingredients
1 large or 2 small chicken breasts (approximately 12 oz)
2-3 Tbsp light/reduced-fat mayo
Sriracha/Hot Sauce
Chili powder
1 Celery stalk, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
Fat-Free Blue Cheese dressing or crumbles

Boil chicken breast until cooked through.
Place in a large bowl and pull apart, using 2 forks.
Add mayo -- just enough so it is moist, but not sopping wet.
Add celery and carrot and mix well.
Add sriracha/hot sauce/chili powder to taste and mix well.
Add either a tbsp of FF blue cheese dressing or 2 tbsp of blue cheese crumbles (or both!)

Serve hot on a potato roll with desired condiments.

NOTE: Recipe makes 3 servings at 5-6 points per serving (depending on the amount of dressing and blue cheese crumbles used) (not including bun and condiments).

Maryland-ish Crab Cakes

*NOTE: This recipe comes directly from the Green Lite Bites blog with very few minimal tweaks by me. I enjoyed it so much I had to post it here. If you enjoy this, go check out Roni's blog for yourself!*

Ingredients
5 Ak-Mak 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Crackers, crushed into bread crumbs
1 tbsp quick oats
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dry ground mustard
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/4 cup nonfat unflavored yogurt
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 egg whites
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat

Preheat oven to 375.
In a small bowl, mix crushed crackers, onion powder, parsley, mustard, quick oats, and old bay.
In another bowl, whisk egg whites, yogurt, and Worcestershire sauce. Fold in crabmeat.
Combine dry mixture with wet mixture.
*NOTE: combined mixture will be wet.
Form mixture into 6 3oz patties (more like wet mounds) and place on a cookie sheet covered with foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake for about 10 minutes. Turn on broiler to brown tops (or flip them over) and continue for about 5 more minutes.

*NOTE: Each crab cake is 2 Weight Watchers Points Plus. Buns and condiments are not included in points value.

Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas

*NOTE: This recipe comes directly from the Skinnytaste blog with very few minimal tweaks by me. I enjoyed it so much I had to post it here. If you enjoy this, go check out Gina's blog for yourself!*

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 medium zucchinis, grated
1 1/2 cups grated reduced fat mexican blend cheese
4 large tortillas (low carb, preferred)

sauce:
1 garlic clove, minced
11 cup tomato sauce
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup fat free vegetable broth

Sauce:
Saute garlic in a saucepan.
Add chili powder, cumin, broth, and tomato sauce.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400.
Saute garlic and scallions in olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
Add zucchini and cook about 4-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup cheese. Mix well.
Divide zucchini between each tortilla. Roll and place seam side down in baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Top with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese.
Bake until hot and cheese is melted -- about 20 minutes.
Serve with chopped cilantro, scallions, sour cream, and salsa.

*NOTE: each enchilada is 7 Weight Watchers Points Plus.

Cheesy Salsa Tuna Burgers

*NOTE: This recipe comes directly from the Green Lite Bites blog with very few minimal tweaks by me. I enjoyed it so much I had to post it here. If you enjoy this, go check out Roni's blog for yourself!*

Ingredients
1 can of tuna packed in water (drained)
1 egg
2 wedges of The Laughing Cow Light cheese (I used the Fresco & Chipotle flavor)
1/4 cup of your favorite salsa
3/4 cups old fashioned oats ground up in a blender or food processor
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried cilantro/coriander
Dash of hot sauce to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and combine with hands.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Form the tuna mixture into 3 patties and place directly on hot skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes per side until warmed through and browned.


*Note: each patty is 5 Weight Watchers Points Plus. Buns and condiments are not included in points value.

Cornmeal Dusted "Fried" Ravioli

Ingredients
1 12-14oz package fresh ravioli
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter

Cook ravioli as directed. Turn water off, leave ravioli in hot water.
Combine cornmeal, parmesan, nutmeg, and pepper.
Heat a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray over medium heat. Add oil and butter.
Drain ravioli a few at a time. Dust hot ravioli in cornmeal mixture and add to skillet. Brown on both sides, 3-4 minutes total. Do this in batches until all ravioli are finished.
You may need to microwave the ravioli briefly to reheat.

Serve with pasta sauce.

Sausage Calzones

Ingredients
1 1/3 lbs italian sweet sausage
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bundle of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3-4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp pepper
2 tubes prepared pizza dough
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups tomato, marinara, or pizza sauce, warmed for dipping

Preheat oven to 425.
Heat olive oil in skillet and brown sausage.
Drain sausage on a paper towel-lined plate.
In a large bowl, combine sausage, ricotta, parsley, garlic, parmesan, nutmeg, and pepper.
Roll both tubes of pizza dough out on 2 separate cookie sheets sprayed with nonstick spray. Cut each dough in half across.
Spread 1/2 cup mozzarella and up to 1/4 cup of filling on half of each rectangle.
Fold dough over filling and pinch edges to seal.
Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with warm sauce for dipping.

Thai Garden Rolls

Ingredients
rice paper
vermicelli noodles
shrimp, halved
carrot, julienned
seedless cucumber, julienned
bean sprouts
fresh cilantro, chopped
fresh thai basil, chopped
fresh ginger, grated
leafy lettuce

Sauce:
3 tbsp chunky peanut butter (thinned out with hot water)
2 tsp soy sauce
juice of 1 lime
grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
chili paste/hot sauce to taste

Set up all ingredients in an assembly line.
Fill a deep dish with hot water (this will need to be changed a few times, as it needs to be kept hot).

Take one rice paper and submerge it in hot water until it become pliable.
Gently remove rice paper from water and place upon work surface (I use a cutting board).

Place 2 -3 shrimp halves, cut side up, on bottom third of rice paper.
Take a small piece of lettuce and place overtop of the shrimp.
Place a small amount of vermicelli noodles overtop of the lettuce.
Place a small amount of bean sprouts, carrot, cucumber, cilantro, basil, and ginger and place overtop of the noodles.
Press down on ingredients to make them compact.

Fold both left and right edges toward the center.
Take the bottom and fold upwards.
Pressing ingredients compact, continue rolling upwards tightly, but gently.

Mix together all ingredients of sauce and serve alongside of garden rolls.

Quesadilla Casserole

Ingredients
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 8oz cans tomato sauce
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, undrained
1 4.5oz can chopped green chiles, undrained
6 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350.
Brown beef and onion in large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add in all ingredients except crushed red pepper.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
Add crushed red pepper to taste.
Spread 1/2 cup of beef mixture in a greased 13x9 pan.
Top with 3 tortillas (overlapping).
Top with 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture and 1 cup cheese.
Top with another layer of 3 tortillas.
Top with remaining beef mixture and cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

* leftovers are even tastier than the first night!

Buffalo Chicken Mac-n-Cheese

Ingredients
1 cup macaroni
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
8oz shredded chicken
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1/2 cup hot sauce, divided
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
2 wedges Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Cheese
2 tsp yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp parmesan
1 tbsp parsley

Preheat oven to 350.
Cook pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.
Warm large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with nonstick spray.
Add celery, carrots, and onions. Cook until veggies are softened, about 5 minutes.
Add chicken, garlic, and 3 tbsp hot sauce. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
Combine sour cream, cheese wedges, mustard, and remaining hot sauce. Microwave for 30 seconds.
Spray casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Place half of the pasta into dish.
Top evenly with veggie mixture followed by remaining pasta.
Add sour cream mixture in an even layer.
Sprinkle with parmesan and parsley.
Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Chunky Beef Vegetable Stew

Ingredients
3 cups V8 vegetable juice (or other brand)
2 cups hot water
1 lb beef, cubed
8 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp beef bouillon
1/2 tsp pepper

Pour vegetable juice and water into slow cooker.
Add beef, vegetables, ketchup, bouillon, and pepper. Stir gently.
Cook on low heat for 8-9 hours or high heat for 4-5 hours.
Serve with crusty bread such as italian, ciabatta, or french baguette.

Skillet Lasagne

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 package spaghetti sauce mix
1 lb cottage cheese
1 8oz box lasagne noodles
2 tsp basil
1tsp parsley
2 15oz cans whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water

In a large pot, saute ground beef and onions.
Sprinkle with half envelope spaghetti sauce mix powder.
Top with cottage cheese.
Crack lasagne noodles to fit pot and place them on top of cottage cheese.
Top with remaining spaghetti sauce mix powder.
Sprinkle with basil and parsley.
Top with tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water.
Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 35-45 minutes.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 cup instant rice
1 egg
1/4 cup ketchup
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp parsley flakes
1tsp garlic powder
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Sauce:
3 large cans italian-style crushed tomatoes
1 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp parsley flakes
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Cook rice as directed.
Add rice to remaining filling ingredients and mix well.
Slice tops off peppers and remove seeds and cores.
Fill peppers with uncooked filling.
Set peppers in a large saucepan, open side up.
In a large bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Pour overtop of peppers.
Cook over medium heat until filling is hot, then reduce to low heat and simmer, covered, until peppers are tender and meat is cooked.

Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients
1/2 cup quick-cooking brown rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/4 lbs ground beef (or ground turkey)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
6 large tomatoes
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup panko (japanese style breadcrumbs)

Preheat oven to 425.
Cook rice as directed.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
Add onion and cook 10-12 minutes until lightly browned and tender.
Add ground beef, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and chili powder. Cook 5-6 minutes until meat is browned.
Cut top off each tomato .
Using melon-baller or small spoon, remove tomato pulp and place in large bowl.
Remove 1 cup pulp from bowl and chop -- discard remaining pulp.
Return chopped pulp to bowl.
Add rice, feta, and beef mixture.
Scoop filling into hollowed tomatoes.
Place filled tomatoes in a jelly roll pan or casserole dish.
Sprinkle with panko and place in oven.
Bake 25-30 minutes until panko is browned and filling is heated through.

Sausage Apple Sweet Potato Bake

Ingredients
1 lb ground sausage
2 medium sweet potatoes
3 medium apples (I use 2 green and 1 red)
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 375.
Brown sausage in a skillet. Drain excess fat.
Peel ans slice sweet potatoes and apples.
Arrange in a casserole dish with sweet potatoes on bottom, then apples, and sausage on top.
In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and water. Pour over casserole.
Cover with tinfoil and bake for 50-60 minutes, until sweet potatoes and apples are tender.

* tends to be runny, I am experimenting with adding more flour or adding cornstarch to thicken this up.

Slow Cooker Sweet-n-Sour Ribs

Ingredients
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
4 lbs pork ribs (cut into sections to fit slow cooker)

Whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper.
Add ribs to slow cooker, bone side up, and pour mixture evenly over the top.
Cook on high heat for 6 hours or low heat for 10 hours.
Serve ribs drizzled with pan juices.
Add additional BBQ sauce, if desired (but you won't have to!)

Super Sloppy Joes

Ingredients
1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp steak seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
3-4 tbsp tomato paste
sandwich buns
garnish: lettuce, tomato, cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add oil and meat to pan.
Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add to pan and combine with meat.
Once meat is browned, add onion and red peppers.
Reduce heat to medium and add red wine vinegar and worcestershire sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add tomato sauce and tomato paste.
Reduce heat to summer and cook for 5 more minutes.
Scoop mixture onto buns and garnish as desired.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Ingredients
i medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 packed brown sugar
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp pepper
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder blade roast, cut into 4 pieces
12 sandwich buns

Mix together onion, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, paprika, worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt, and pepper.
Place pork pieces into slow cooker and pour mixture evenly over the top.
Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours.
Remove pork from slow cooker, leaving sauce.
Turn heat setting to high. Cook sauce alone to thicken slightly.
Shred pork and return to slow cooker once sauce is boiling.
Spoon mixture onto sandwich buns and serve.