Date Night--1/9/13

So this week was my first Date Nigh on WW.

And it was good!!!  I stayed on track and had appetizer (stuffed mushrooms), cocktail (mini Manhattan), dinner (Fresh Wild Mushroom Soup) and dessert (a strawberry smoothie WW bar).  All that and I only had to dip into my "bonus" weekly points for 1 point.

So recipes.

Stuffed Mushrooms (1 point)

3 mushroom caps*

.5 T reduced fat cream cheese
.5 tsp garlic powder
freshly ground black pepper
1 crushed rosemary and olive oil Crunchmasters Seed Cracker

Mix the cream cheese with the garlic powder and pepper; top with cracker crumbs and microwave for 90 seconds.

*I built this recipe on WW.  There was no quantity for mushroom cap by number--just by cup.  And veggies are 0 points.  So stuff as many caps as you can with the quantity of stuffing this yields.

Mini Manhattan (5 points)

Our regular Manhattan just 2 oz (5 points) instead of 4 oz (10 points)

Fresh Wild Mushroom Soup (6 points)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 6 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, chopped
• 6 ounces fresh oyster mushrooms, chopped
• 6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 cups beef broth

Preparation

Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add all mushrooms and thyme; sauté until mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add brandy; stir 30 seconds, then mix in flour. Slowly stir in broth; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls. 

 

***So, I used 1 c leeks and 1 c onion.  I had no brandy, so I subbed Marsala which brought the points from 7 to 6.

 

I also ate one Rhodes dinner roll with my soup (1 point)

 

Dessert seems pretty self explanatory.  I made Josh brake and bake Choc Chip cookies and I had my dessert bar.

Tonight's dinner is leftover soup.  Yum. 

happy cooking

 

 

Monday Night Dinner with Grandma 1/7/13

I started Weight Watchers today.  So far, so good.  I even exercised a little bit.

But enough about me.

Here is tonight's recipe:
 

Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms

Weight Watchers Recipe

Ratings (3350) Rate it

4PointsPlus Value

Track

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 10 min

Other time: 0 min

Serves: 4

For a different flair, substitute dry white wine for the chicken broth, then sprinkle on a few spoonfuls of chopped sun-dried tomatoes with the mushrooms.

Ingredients 2 tsp vegetable oil    3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar    2 tsp Dijon mustard    1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), crushed      1 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), four 4-oz pieces      2 cup(s) fresh mushroom(s), small, halved    1/3 cup(s) canned chicken broth    1/4 tsp dried thyme, crumbled    Instructions In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil. In a medium bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar, the mustard and garlic. Add chicken and turn to coat. Transfer chicken and marinade to skillet. Sauté chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm. Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in skillet. Sauté mushrooms for 1 minute. Add broth, thyme and remaining tablespoon of vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are deep brown, about 2 minutes longer. Serve chicken topped with mushrooms.

I think it looks very tasty and  not at all diet-y.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

I'll be serving it with cut green beans (you've gotta love Green Giant).  Veggies (and most fruit, too) are pretty much all 0 points.

I don't really have anything to bring for dessert.  (I have WW ice cream treats and wine for when I get home.)  There may be some pudding left;  I have some graham crackers; and there are mini marshmallows where I'm going.  There may be some kind of S'Mores creation to be had.  We'll see.

all in all, I wish you

happy cooking

I've not been feeling like myself...

This has been for a little while now.  No specific symptoms, just general malaise.

But it has me craving soup.  Homemade soup.  Wild Mushroom soup.

Fresh Wild Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 6 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, chopped
• 6 ounces fresh oyster mushrooms, chopped
• 6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 cups beef broth

Preparation

Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add all mushrooms and thyme; sauté until mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add brandy; stir 30 seconds, then mix in flour. Slowly stir in broth; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fresh-Wild-Mushroom-Soup-233131#ixzz2H1Q4snsN

Now, when I make this (probably not till next week), I'll serve it with warm crusty bread.

I hope I'll be feeling more like myself  by then.

happy cooking