Tomato Basil Soup

Whenever it starts to get cold, I start craving soup! So with this deep freeze going on (for what seems like forever now!) I am definitely in the mood for some warm and hearty soup!

The other day, I went to the grocery store and picked up a rather delicious looking "can" of tomato basil soup to throw in my cart. Since I am on Weight Watchers, I checked the points on my handy little WW app. HOLY CRAP! It was 28 points for two cups of this soup! That's like all I get for a whole day! I quickly put it back, perplexed as to why tomato soup would have so many points. I know it had cream in it, but still! Tomatoes are zero points!

I decided right then and there to make my own tomato basil soup, with as few points as possible! I am so thankful for my smart phone (don't laugh, I only got one recently!) because I quickly looked up a few recipes on Pinterest. Most had the same basic ingredients and I switched out or left out some of the higher point items and came up with my own recipe!

This soup is really so easy and delicious, there is no need to buy canned soup ever again! And if you're on Weight Watchers, it's only one smart point! One! And that's just for the olive oil to saute the onions in!


Ingredients:

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes 

half a large onion, chopped

1tbs olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic (I use the pre minced stuff in the jar)

1 14oz can of chicken broth

fresh basil

Here's what I did:

I started by sauteing the onions in the olive oil until golden brown over medium heat. Then I added the garlic and cooked just until fragrant (about one minute.)

Next I added in the chicken broth, tomatoes and a pinch of salt. I brought it to a boil and then turned the heat down to low and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

At this point, try the soup. If it's too sour for you, you can add some sugar to sweeten it up. I recommend adding a teaspoon at a time. I liked mine without it, but some people may not.

Lastly, I added the basil. I only cut up three leaves of it because I wasn't sure if I liked basil. And the soup tasted pretty darn good without it, so I didn't want to ruin it! But, if you know that you like basil, by all means, use as much as you like!

I also used my immersion blender and blended the soup so that it would be smoother. You could use a food processor to do it, but just make sure that the soup is mostly cooled down before you do it that way. No one wants to get burned by scalding hot soup exploding out of a food processor (because it will!) Or if you're rich and have Vitamix, you can use that as well. Or, if you like chunky soup, don't blend it at all!

Yum!!!

A little basil garnish to make it pretty!

And a little shaved Parmesan cheese to make it extra yummy!

This recipe made about 3 cups of soup. 

Just remember if you are on WW, everything you add to the soup (sugar or Parmesan cheese) adds points, so adjust accordingly!


Enjoy!

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Lemon is one of my favorite flavors! So when our family reunion came around again last week, I decided to revisit a favorite dessert from my childhood ~ Lemon Cheesecake Bars!

Whenever I am attending a family reunion, potluck, or the like, I always make sure to take something that I absolutely love! That way, if all the other food is nasty, at least I'll have something good to eat! I may or may not have been known to eat all of my own food! And I almost always make a dessert!

These Lemon Cheesecake Bars are delicious and I most definitely could eat them all in one sitting. The lemon flavor is very light, so don't expect to get a major burst of lemon. If you want to pump up the lemon factor, just add a little bit more lemon juice! But, I think they are perfect the way they are! I was always so excited whenever my mom would make them for us! They are truly one of my favorites!

Here are the Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil


And here's what to do: 

First off, combine the cake mix, 1 egg, and 1/3 cup oil in a bowl and mix until crumbly.
 

Reserve about one cup (I always save back a little more) of the crumbled mix for the topping.
 

Lightly pat the remaining mixture into the bottom of an ungreased 13x9 pan. It's okay if there is a little space in between, it'll all come together when you bake it! 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown.

Next, beat together your softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg, and 1 tsp lemon juice. It may be lumpy or look like it's curdled, but that's because the cream cheese wasn't softened enough. It'll still taste okay!
 

 
Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the baked layer.
 

Top with the reserved crumbled topping. Then bake for approximately another 15 minutes until lightly browned!

Cool completely and cut into squares!

Yum!!!

Enjoy!!!

Easy Hawaiian Chicken Bake!

We had my in-laws over the other night again and I was wanting to try something new and impressive, but still super easy for dinner. 

Enter this Easy Hawaiian Chicken Bake!

This dish seriously could not be easier! And it's amazing! It's great for a crowd or even for a romantic dinner just for two. 

I also thought about serving it for Easter dinner since something about pineapples screams Easter to me for some unknown reason! And, you can really up your game and make it ahead of time!

This Hawaiian Chicken Bake is also very Weight Watchers friendly! (Only 8 points per serving!)

Ingredients:

(based on four to five people)

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 to 2 sweet onions, quartered

1 large can of pineapple slices

A bottle of your fave BBQ sauce

1 package of smoked provolone cheese slices

First, start by quartering your onions and place them in the bottom of a sprayed baking dish.

Place your chicken breasts on top of the onions and season with salt and pepper. These are probably the thinnest chicken breasts I have ever seen. Normally, I get thicker ones, but it all tastes the same!

Next, drizzle your chicken and onions with your favorite BBQ sauce! If you are on Weight Watchers, measure it out for the points. That Kroger Sweet n Tangy BBQ sauce in the background is one of my favorites! It's, guess what ~ sweet and tangy!

Place the pineapple rings on top of the chicken.

Then top with the provolone cheese!

Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the chicken reaches at least 165 degrees internally. After it reaches 165 degrees, take the foil off and return the chicken to the oven and cook until the cheese gets bubbly and a nice, golden brown.

Mmmmm! It is so good!

I also made an Angel Food Cake for dessert and topped it with Cool Whip Lite and fresh strawberries!

The quickest way to the hostess's heart is by bringing them flowers! Thanks, honey!

For all you Weight Watchers out there, this Hawaiian Chicken Bake is only 8 smart points per chicken breast! (The kind of bbq sauce and cheese you use will effect the exact pointage of the meal, this is just how much mine was. If you want exact points be sure to figure it out based on your options!)

Enjoy!

 

Lucky Charms Rice Krispies!

You'll definitely want to steal these lucky charms! Lucky Charms Rice Krispie Treats, that is!

If you are looking for a quick and easy treat to make for St. Patrick's Day, look no further than these! Rice Krispie Treats are super easy to make and just by adding some Lucky Charms marshmallows into the mix and a little green food coloring, it transforms them into a tasty holiday treat ~ perfect for an office party, your kids school party, or just because!

Ingredients:

A 10oz bag of mini marshmallows
3 tbs butter
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup Lucky Charms marshmallows
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Green food coloring

Begin by combining the Rice Krispies and Lucky Charms marshmallows in a bowl.

Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a large pan over low heat.

After the butter is melted, add the bag of marshmallows and stir until completely melted.

Add the 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and stir.

Next, add your green food coloring. I used several more drops than shown here to make the treats even greener, but in the photos they don't look green at all! So, you may want to add A LOT of food coloring to darken them up. BUT, do it a few drops at a time and stir so you don't go too overboard! Also, I used gel food coloring, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference.

Keep stirring and adding more food coloring until it reaches the color you want.

I thought this was a pretty green, and they do have a green tint in real life, but like I said earlier ~ I would make it darker next time.

Next, pour in your rice krispie mix and stir until fully incorporated.

They set up very quickly, so stir fast!

Look at all that sticky goodness! Make sure you take off your rings for this next part so you don't get any of the marshmallows on them!!

Put the krispies into a (sprayed or buttered) 13 x 9 pan and spread to the edges, flattening with your clean hands as you go. I also added some more of the Lucky Charms marshmallows on top at this point because they started to melt.

You're supposed to let them cool before you cut them, but I think they are AMAZING warm! Try it next time! You won't regret it!

They are most definitely magically delicious!

Enjoy!

Easy and Awesome Calzones!

I fell in love with calzones after trying them for the first time at Costco a few years back. Since I don't have a membership, my chances of getting my hands on them are few and far between. My husband and I were craving those amazing calzones like crazy, so I had to do something! 

Necessity is indeed the mother of invention, and I ended up coming up with my own calzone recipe! And they are nothing short of amazing themselves, if I do say so myself!

 We've actually eaten these calzones twice this month already! They are that good! And very easy to make! I actually prefer them to a homemade pizza, and honestly, even sometimes to a restaurant pizza!

I like a cheese calzone, with a few green olives thrown in, while my husband likes pepperoni in his. Just like a pizza, you can put any toppings in them you desire. Just make sure that if you want sausage, ground beef, or chicken that it's pre-cooked and heated through before stuffing your calzone with it!

Here's what you will need:

Pizza Sauce
Jiffy Pizza Crust
Mozzarella Cheese (shredded is fine, but if you really want an amazing calzone, grate your own!)
 Toppings of your choice!

The ingredients. You can use any toppings you like, these are our favorites!

Make your pizza dough according to the directions on the box and preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

I like to put my dough on the warming area of my stove to let it rise.

Most important rule of working with pizza dough: take off your rings! Then proceed to knead on a floured surface! This dough is very sticky and will usually need several tablespoons of flour.

After kneading your dough, cut it in half and shape them into a sort of rectangle shape and place on a greased pizza pan. Try to get the shapes as even as possible so when you fold it over it matches up with the other side. And try not to tear a hole in the dough either!

Put about a tablespoon or two worth of pizza sauce on one side of the dough.

And add your cheese! Not too much, unless you are having a plain cheese one. I usually have a tendency to overfill mine, so be mindful of that.

Add your other toppings and once again, don't overfill! Less is more with these calzones!

Love me some olives!

Top with the final layer of cheese

And fold over!

Use a fork to crimp your edges

All set to go into the oven! Bake for about 10 minutes.

After about 10 minutes (or just when they are starting to brown), take the calzones out of the oven and rub them with butter!

I sprinkle a bit of garlic salt on them at this point too for some extra flavor, but that's totally optional. Stick it back into the oven for about eight more minutes or until golden brown!

Ready to eat!

My mouth is watering looking at this picture!

Look at that cheese oozing out! There's a delicious little olive peeking out!

Here's my husband's calzone, I'm not really a fan of pepperoni. I ate one too many pepperoni pizzas when I was younger!

Once you have these tasty treats, you'll be craving them again and again!

Enjoy!