This week - 1/31/12

Olive Garden Week

Tuesday - Grilled Cheese with pasta salad
Wednesday - Pasta E Fagioli (crockpot) with french bread
Thursday - uhhh - it's up to Isaac
Friday - Pizza pockets or personal pizzas
Saturday - left overs and hot dogs
Sunday - Chicken Gnocchi - hopefully a lower fat version using evaporated milk - with raspberry lemonade
Monday - Tacos

Tomato-Basil Parmesean Soup

From 365 Days of Slow Cooking

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
4 cups chicken broth
½ bay leaf
½ cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup butter
2 cups half and half, warmed
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

1.  Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker.
2.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.
3.  About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper.  Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don't be afraid to always season to taste at the end). 
4.  Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.


3 points per 1 cup serving 

Knelfa Soup

Ingredients and Instructions:
Mix together and simmer until tender

• 4 potatoes, peeled cubed
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 4 cubes chicken boullion
• 1 Tablespoon parsely
• 5 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground pepper

Mix Dough until uniform, roll into fat snakes and cut off small pieces into soup.

• 1/3 cup margarine
• 1 c. flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup milk

Add

• 12 oz evaporated milk just before serving

10 1 cup servings - 226 calories, 9 g fat, 3 g fiber - 5 points

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 3-4 cups water
• 3 chicken boullion cubes
• 1 chicken breast
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 2 cups egg noodles
• Salt, pepper, parsely to taste
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:
Boil potatoes, carrots, in water with boullion cubes until barely soft. Boil chicken in garlic, onion and celery salt until done. Remove from water and shred. Cook egg noodles in same water as chicken cooked. Drain noodles. Add chicken and noodles to vegetables add salt, pepper and parsley to taste and add cornstarch to thicken.

8 servings - 137 calories, 1.7 g fat, 2.1 g fiber - 2 points


Egg Noodle Recipe
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
4 egg yolks

Sift together first 3 ingredients add eggs to it and stir. Once mixed, roll out dough in to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into strips and dry on drying racks.

Easy 4 Can Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 14 oz cans chili con carne
• 1 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 14 oz can kidney beans
• 1 tbs brown sugar

Simmer and stir, done!

10 servings, 254 calories, 2.7 g fat, 9 g fiber - 4 points

Sides:

• corn bread
• corn on the cob
• biscuits

30 Minute - Minestrone Soup

Nutritional Analysis: One 1-cup serving (prepared with low-sodium bouillon) equals 88 calories, 178 mg sodium, 0 cholesterol, 14 gm carbohydrate, 3 gm protein, 2 gm fat.
(2 points!)

Ingredients

• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 cup chopped cabbage
• 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups water
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian stewed or diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can kidney beans drained
• 3 cubes beef bouillon
• 1 cup torn fresh spinach
• 2/3 cup cooked shell macaroni
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tbs italian seasoning

Directions

In a 3-qt. saucepan, saute carrots, cabbage, celery, onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes. Add water, tomatoes, beans, and bouillon; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in spinach, macaroni and pepper; heat through.