Weight Watcher's Au Gratin Potatoes ~ 3 pts

Au Gratin Potatoes

(3 Points per Serving using skim milk)
8 Servings

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1 sprays cooking spray
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion(s), thinly sliced
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cup fat-free skim milk (I prefer 2%)
2 pounds Yukon Gold potato(es), thinly sliced
1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

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Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 2-quart covered baking dish with cooking spray.

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Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour; add milk slowly, stirring. Add potatoes and stir to mix. Bring to a boil. Stir in 3/4 cup of cheese, salt and pepper.

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Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and level out surface. Bake for 1 hour, uncovered. Cover and bake until potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes more.

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Change oven temperature to broil. Sprinkle remaining cheese over potatoes. Broil 6 inches from the heating element until the cheese is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces.

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Yum, yum!  These potatoes are worth the effort!

Snowflakes and Roses Gift Tags - Free Download

Click the link below for the free download.

Gift Tags

Download, print, and cut.  Use hole punch for the tag hole. 

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Enjoy!

Weight Watcher Skillet Cornbread

One of the Weight Watcher recipes I've tried recently...

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The cornbread was very moist and had great flavor.  I am a big fan of using buttermilk in baked breads and cakes and the buttermilk flavor came through strong for me.  I could've almost eaten this with a fork.  It was very good and I'll definitely be making it as long as I do Weight Watchers.

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Weight Watcher Skillet Cornbread

1 cup uncooked cornmeal, yellow

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp table salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

14 3/4 oz cream-style corn, canned

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 large egg whites

2 tsp corn oil

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Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat an 8-inch square cake pan or 8" skillet as I've done here, with cooking spray. (I used my pastry brush and brushed the skillet with oil.)

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Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Mix well with a fork, then make a well in the center; set aside.

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Combine creamed corn, buttermilk, egg whites and oil in a medium bowl; mix until blended. Fold mixture into dry ingredients; mix until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.

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Bake until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely before cutting into 8 squares.

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Weight Watcher Points Value 3 per serving.

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Stay tuned for more great Weight Watcher recipes.

Roasted Chickpeas

Here's a tasty high fiber snack...



Roasted Chickpeas

1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray

2 cup(s) canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained and patted dry

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Spread chickpeas on baking sheet and sprinkle with garlic powder, red pepper and seasoned salt; toss to coat.

Roast on bottom rack of oven, shaking pan about every 15 minutes, until browned and slightly crunchy, about 45 to 50 minutes.  (The chickpeas will still be somewhat soft. Cook longer for desired texture.)  Cool before serving. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.  

WW Points 2 pts per serving

Weight Watcher Points

Around this time every year, I get a desire for certain foods...

Chex Party Mix!

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Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Oatmeal!

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Homebaked Cookies!!!

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...so, I've made a scary decision. 

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I've decided to start counting Weight Watcher Points. 

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I'm not attending local meetings,  just starting a food journal and keeping up with my points.  It's kinda like calorie counting,  I'll just be watching my fat intake more than usual.  I've not worried about fats for a very long time, but apparently I need to make some changes.

I've gotta do something to shake up my metabolism.  Hopefully this will be it.

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So, in over the next few days, I'll begin to share Weight Watcher recipes with you.  I made some pretty good stuff this weekend!

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This is a big change from low carb.  I know low carb works for me, if I work at it, so I'll be trying to stick more to fresh veggies and some fresh fruit, yogurt, almonds, lower carb and cal bread, and lean meats. That means more stir-fries, but I get to add a little long grain rice or pasta.

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We'll just see how it goes.

I'll be adding a new Weight Watcher page, similar to my low carb page.

Cross your fingers and say a prayer for me! :)

Fresh Fruit Salad with Honey Vanilla Yogurt Dressing

A few nights ago, my girls wanted to to make an easy treat for our dessert.  

We were out of a few ingredients, but managed to put together this tasty fruit salad bowl.   This fruit salad is a great choice for dessert or even breakfast. (oops, pic is before the dressing)

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By Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa.



 

Fresh Fruit Salad with Honey Vanilla Yogurt Dressing

2 cups plain yogurt

2 tablespoons good honey

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean, optional

1/2 orange, juiced

1 banana, sliced

1/2 pint fresh blueberries

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half

1 bunch seedless green grapes, halved

Combine the yogurt, honey, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds in a bowl and set aside. Combine the orange juice and banana slices in a separate bowl. Add the berries and grapes and gently mix the fruit mixture together. Spoon the fruit into serving bowls and top with the yogurt.

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Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

So simple yet so delicious!

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What to to with 2 nice bunches of very ripe bananas, but bake?!  This cake is made with a recipe I've been using since the early 90's.   It is very simple, with few ingredients, but it is so delicious and moist!

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I usually top it with a Brown Sugar Glaze, but since I had cream cheese, this time I decided to make a traditional Cream Cheese Frosting for the cake.



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BANANA CAKE

1/2 cup shortening or butter (I used softened butter)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup (2 med) bananas, mashed

1 1/4 cups self rising flour

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Cream shortening (or butter) and sugar until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.   Add flour to mashed bananas and mix well.  Next, add the banana and flour mixture to the cake batter.  Stir well.  Pour into greased pan.  Bake at 350º for 45 minutes or until cake is browned on top and springs back to the touch.

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***NOTE- I used a 7 x 11 glass baking dish and the cake rose to the top of the dish and was fairly thick.  The layer could be sliced and a filling added to make a 2 layer cake.

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Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup butter
1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese
½ teaspoon of vanilla

 3 ½ cups of powdered sugar

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In a medium sized mixing bowl cream the butter and cream cheese together.  Add the vanilla.  Slowly add the powdered sugar.  When you are adding the powdered sugar, use a low speed on the mixer.   After you have it all in, put up on a medium to high speed.   Mix the frosting until it is fluffy.

Make sure your cake is completely cooled and spread the cream cheese frosting on it. 

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Vintage Recipe: Pineapple Cheese Ball

The holidays are just around the corner

and eating delicious goodies that we only make on special occasions has become a tradition.



Cheeseballs, Spinach Dip, Peanut Butter Balls, Spiced Pecans...these are a few of my favorite things.

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The special occasion was a wedding on Saturday night.  My friends Terry and Angie decided to tie the knot.  I wanted to help them celebrate by bringing a treat to the reception.  It was all eaten up.   Pictured below was the little bit I had left at home for a midnight snack or early morning breakfast.

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This started out as my friend Laura's recipe.  I've made some tweaks of my own with favorable results.



 

Pineapple Cheese Ball
 
cream cheese, 16 oz
crushed pineapple, (small can) drained dry
pecan pieces, 2 C
chopped onion, 1/4 cup
shredded cheddar, 2 oz
seasoned salt, 1 T
 
Mix all togther.  Refrigerate and roll in chopped pecans.
Serve with crackers.

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Watch for more vintage recipes and hopefully a give-away in the near future!